Infinitely Less, Obviously More
by Kaitie McDonahue
Summary: Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy have been best friends since the day their fathers told them to stay away from each other. But in one night they become infinitely less and obviously more. Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
1. Chapter 1

Rose Weasley woke up with the worst headache she had ever endured. Opening her eyes carefully, she realized that she was certainly not in her room in the Heads' dormitory nor was she in her bed. Instead of the pictures of her huge family and a few of her friends on the nightstand, there was a picture of a family with pale skin and blonde hair with the teenager in the picture looking slightly out of place.

Rose rolled over and gasped at the sight before her. She was lying in the bed of her best friend and fellow Head, Scorpius Malfoy, who was currently lying next to her and snoring quite loudly, oblivious to the world.

All of a sudden the night's events become increasingly clearer to her. She had thrown Scorpius a surprise party for his seventeenth birthday which had involved quite a bit of firewhisky. Her and Scorpius, certainly not new to alcohol, had played a hearty amount of drinking games with each other that had obviously ended up with them both so drunk they'd done some things that were not in the best interests of each other.

But Scorpius and her and ended up in this situation relatively often, sometimes with each other, so Rose tried to put it out of her mind.

Just as she was realizing all of this, Scorpius woke up with a groan and shifted over, bumping into Rose.

His gray eyes widened when meeting her blue ones, noticing the predicament that they had landed themselves in, again.

"Hey, Scorp?"

He nodded, signaling he was listening.

"When I turn seventeen in a few months, do _not_ throw me a party."

He chuckled and raised a hand to his unruly blonde bed-hair, ruffling it up even more. "Believe me, that is definitely one thing I can comply with. Waking up with a hangover next to you is getting old now."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "It's not like it's my ideal wake-up either."

His face broke into a lopsided grin that made Rose smile as well. "Oh really," he countered, "and why wouldn't seeing your best friend's face in the morning be so pleasing to you?"

"Because you smell like wet dog!" she laughed.

"I can't say the same isn't true about you. Except you smell like," Scorpius leaned over and took a whiff of her hair, "fabric softener."

"How do you even know what that is, Mr. Pure-Blood?"

He shrugged. "For some reason Millie likes using fabric softener for doing the laundry instead of just using magic." Millie was the Malfoy's house-elf and a sweet, bumbling one at that who did everything her way, often disregarding orders. But because she was so well-liked by Scorpius and his family, no one ever cared.

"I'm not surprised," Rose smiled. "Now, shall we get up or have Al find us like this again?"

Scorpius grimaced at the memory of Rose's favorite cousin slamming open the door to find the girl he was extremely protective over and one of his friends in bed together. It was an _extremely_ awkward situation all around.

"Yeah, I will be getting up before that happens."

The two of them quickly leapt up and scrambled to find their clothes before heading off to class. "Hey, Scorp?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's my bra?"

"Oh, you mean this?" Scorpius held it up making sure Rose could see his cocky grin behind the lacy black material.

"Shut-up you prick and hand it over," Rose said, making a grab for it as Scorpius taunted her by putting it up above her reach, which wasn't very far because of her tiny height, before finally relenting and handed it to her. "What time is it?"

"Eight-thirty. We have half an hour before classes start." He quickly did a once over for his best friend. "You might want to make sure you brush your hair really well."

"Oh, geez, thanks. Such words of wisdom. You, on the other hand, need a shower. Because I wasn't kidding about the wet dog smell. Except it's more of a firewhisky-and-I-totally-just-woke-up-in-someone-else's-bed-without-knowing-how-I-got-there smell." Rose smirked while Malfoy stuck out his tongue and rolled his eyes and her sarcasm. If there was ever a girl to be sarcastic enough to drive away Al Jaffee, the author of Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions, it would be her.

"Well, I'll just go take one then, your royal highness," he ushered a bow to her then pranced out of the room humming and skipping like a madman.

Rose laughed. "You realize that one day McGonagall's going to ship you off to a funny farm, right?" she called to him in the bathroom.

"Only if she realizes this is how half of the seventh year woke up this morning and that I was practically the cause of all of that."

"Yeah, except you weren't the one to supply everyone with booze. That would be Al."

"Well, I'm sure she's already figured that out after all of these years."

The water from the shower turned on and Rose smiled to herself as she went to her room to get ready for classes.

* * *

"Scorpius, Rose, I'm going to have to assign you two another detention for arriving late to class," Slughorn tutted and waggled his finger in their direction. "The two Head students should be at class on time and ready to learn."

"Sorry, sir, my bag ripped and all of my books fell and the ink splattered all over everything so it took a bit to clean it all up and Scorpius helped me so it made us late," Rose seamlessly lied. She certainly had a gift for fabricating tales used towards escaping detentions.

Slughorn smiled. "Oh, well, alright then, no detention. But you two had certainly show me a wonderful potion today in class, then." He grinned at his two favorite students and gestured for them to find their seats.

Rose and Scorpius took their normal positions at one of the side tables, not far enough in the back so that they seemed like slackers but not so close to the front that they couldn't space out and escape paying attention every once in awhile.

Slughorn moved up to the front of the class and started elaborately gesturing what was written on the blackboard. "Today you are each going to brew me up a cauldron of one of these potions. Whoever brews up the finest potion, will earn twenty points for their house. You have an hour and twenty-three minutes left, commence the brewing!" His face was alight with glee as each student bumbled about searching for the correct ingredients.

For the next hour and eighteen minutes each student tried to bring out their professor's good graces and to outdo at least one of the two Head students who were constantly envied by their peers for being able to out perform many of them in potions class whilst barely trying.

Rose looked down into the bright, vibrant yellow of her Pepper-Up potion while Scorpius looked dauntingly towards Al's potion that was bubbling and frothing all while being a sickly yellow-green color.

"You should probably add some toad liver to reverse the bubbling," Scorpius said to Albus.

Al just stared wide-eyed at his potion while his cousin used her wand to vanish the potion and started dumping ingredients into the cauldron to make the potion he was attempting to produce from scratch.

"Rose," Al hissed, "you don't even know which potion I'm working on."

"Sure I do. It was the same one I was doing."

Al rolled his eyes in frustration and consented to Rose saving his ass again in.

But instead of leaning back and relaxing or finishing other work, he decided to make snide comments. Rose's specialty was sarcasm by Al's was having a high tolerance for alcohol and could therefore remember quite a bit while Rose and Scorpius were too far gone.

"So, you guys downed the booze in excess last night," he said. When neither Scorpius nor Rose answered he pursued on. "You two also disappeared before anyone could wish you a happy birthday, Scorpius."

"Well, you know those Virgos," Rose interjected, "they sure don't like to party."

"We're almost as bad as those Scorpios," Scorpius said, realizing how ironic it was for him not to be a Scorpio with his name, "their tempers are excrutiating. Especially when their tempers match their hair," Scorpius eyed Rose's flaming red curls.

"What about us Geminis, huh?" Al said, "We're practically bipolar!"

The three of them stifled their chuckles as Slughorn approached to inspect their progress in the potions they had been creating.

"Well, Scorpius, Rose, your potions are magnificient but no surprise there. Potter, yours is coming along quite nicely but I would have expected you to have been farther than that step by now.

"But marvelous work you three, twenty points to Gryffindor!" Slughorn turned and started chatting amiably with Heather Slightly, a Ravenclaw in their class, while everyone packed up as quickly as they could; leaving a bit before the bell rang.

"Dude," Al whined as they made their way from the dungeons to the Transfiguration classroom, "I'm so hungry."

"You're always hungry," Rose rolled her eyes.

"Hey, I missed breakfast too and I'm starving!" Scorpius said.

"I think it's safe to say that we all missed breakfast, which really did not help cure our hangovers," Rose said, whispering the last part.

"How come you didn't make the potion like you usually do, Rose?" Al asked, confusion evident on his features.

"Oh, I, erm, woke up kinda late," she said, half-glancing at Scorpius as she said this. Though she was talented at lying if necessary, it was really only white lies that she was brilliant at.

Al looked between the two of them disbelievingly, then let out a huge groaned and said, "Not again!"


	2. Chapter 2

Rose Weasley had always tried to please everyone else. Up until fifth year, that is. That was when she'd realized that she had to be herself, no one else's. It was an odd sort of discovery to have made, especially at the hands of that person.

She remembered it vividly, up until the point her cousin James had saved her. James had always been like her older, overprotective brother. Whereas Al, was a best friend, he was the one she could go to for advice, trust, and know he would always be there no matter what.

But sometimes, when she looked back on that specific memory, she almost wished he hadn't come; that way she wouldn't feel so weak. So in need of other people's help. She was good at maintaining a mask. Her ability of lying to others came from constantly lying to herself. Rose appeared strong, unbreakable. But James and her both knew that on the inside, she was bitterly fragile.

* * *

Scorpius Malfoy was staring at Rose, trying to penetrate her thoughts, again. He had been the best friend of hers since practically boarding the train at King's Cross in their first year. He had seen her at her best and thought he'd helped her at her worst. But now, he wasn't so sure.

After a smile or a grin from his favorite girl, the corners of her mouth turned slightly downwards and the light of happiness faded from her eyes. It had begun relatively recently. Ever since his birthday, in fact. He knew it wasn't the waking up next to him part, that happened a bit frequent because of their constant drinking.

Scorpius remembered the day Rose had first gotten drunk. She had always been so completely against liquor because of the complications she'd seen put on both him and her cousin. Rose had been the sober and responsible one of the group, always getting Al and him safely out of trouble and dissolving their hangovers by means of a potion in the mornings.

It had been far past midnight in their fifth year. James Potter had brought his cousin back to the common room with red eyes and a frightened expression. He'd coaxed her into taking a shower and he'd told Georgia Abbott, his current girlfriend, to watch out for Rose. But Georgia never got the chance because as soon as Rose was out of the shower, she'd made a beeline for the boys' dormitories where she walked straight in, grabbed the bottle of firewhisky Scorpius and Al had hidden, and downed the lot. He and Al had exchanged looks, wondering what the hell had happened to make the girl so reckless.

When she had fallen asleep, she started muttering things that had scared the lot of the boys in the dormitory. Fifth years Al, Scorpius, Ryan Boot, and Finn Longbottom shared the room and tried very hard to make it seem as if they were perfect so as not to arise suspicion of the gambling and drinking that was constantly taking place in their dorm, so they were not knew to strange things. But Rose's cries and screams that night had scared them all silly, wiping away their wits and replacing within them a gob of fear which had rooted inside them at the terror in Rose's voice.

To Scorpius's knowledge, Rose had always sleepwalked. He'd been warned again when Headmistriss McGonagall showed them the Heads' dorm and told him that he would have to watch out for her doing anything stupid. But talking in her sleep was new. She was crying things out, her voice strangled with emotion. "No! Stop, please, please!" Tears streaked down her cheeks furiously, and it wrenched at Scorpius's heart and mind as he tried desperately to wake her up.

When her eyes finally snapped open, she started kicking and struggling away from him, still screaming. "Get away from me!" she shouted, then ran out of the room.

Scorpius and Al had never spoken of that night since. They didn't want to know what had happened to cause it. But since then, Rose had changed, and they knew it all too well.

* * *

It'd been about a month since Scorpius's birthday, and since then, Rose had drawn into herself. It was true that she'd never been one to share her feelings or thoughts with others. She'd always bottled things up inside of her, causing her to have an unstable temper that could be unleashed unexpectedly with no cause. Rose had always preferred helping others with her problems and discussing them rather than any conversations about herself. It scared her to think that people analyzed her. She couldn't take it, so she ran from it.

Scorpius and Al were constantly trying to distract her and get her to let loose and have some fun. It wasn't working too well.

James's letters were going unanswered and he was sending more and more, worried with the lack of response he was getting.

Lily Potter, James and Al's younger sister, was pestering Rose slightly because she was confused by the sudden reprieve of badgering about being a good girl from her favorite cousin and a slightly unlikely contestant for giving such advice in the first place. Though, Lily knew, she should heed the words said to her from Rose because she was, after all, Head Girl, top of most of her classes, and a brilliant Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

Rose was the most fed up with the way she was acting out of everyone else. It was her natural reaction to act happy for everyone even if she wasn't necessarily feeling that way on the inside. Too bad, though, 'cause she knew Scorpius was really going to give it to her.

And too right she was.

She'd been sitting on one of the couches in the Heads' common room studying her Charms textbook when Scorpius barged through the portrait hole rather loudly and trailing with him was an upset-looking James Sirius Potter.

Rose knew she was in for it when she saw her cousin. "What are you doing here?" she asked abruptly, casting her book aside and standing up straight and tall, her pride continuing to be a downfall.

"You're worrying me sick, Rose!" James cried, striding over to her and engulfing her in a bone-crushing hug. "You haven't responded to any of my letters!"

She shrugged once she was released and cast a nervous glance over to Scorpius who was leaning casually against the wall with a stony expression on his face. She knew he had something to do with her cousin's sudden visit. James had been graduated for over a year now and was doing perfectly well in the Auror profession. Too perfectly to have a sudden urge to warrant a trip to see her.

"Is anything bad going on? Everything's fine, right?" James eyed her, searching for something wrong or a sign of distress.

She chuckled. "James calm down, I just haven't had a chance to respond yet." She smiled and hugged her cousin once again. "I've just had so much work what with Quidditch practice, Head duties, N.E.W.T. work, you know. I'm sorry I was worrying you; I promise I'll write an answer to you right away if you'd like."

James exhaled in relief as did Scorpius, their breaths mingling together. "Oh, geez, Rose." James sank unto the couch and his relaxtion and relief evident by the slacker slouching posture. "I thought you'd gotten depressed or something."

Rose laughed, a high tinkling laugh that Scorpius knew immediately wasn't right. Her laugh was always happier, and when she was laughing really hard it was completely silent. "James, you're being silly. Why would I have a reason to be depressed?"

James gave her a look that gave the impression he saw right through the façade, enabling Scorpius to believe that there really was a reason she could be. He continued to look at her heavily but finally gave up. "Oh, alright. I'm sorry. And, forgive me, but I really must be going soon. I just wanted to come by on my break but I have to return to work now." James stood up, hugged his cousin good-bye while they promised to keep in better contact. As he was leaving the dorm, he mouthed silently for Scorpius to follow him.

Scorpius was intrigued. James had always been accepting of him but never really endearing or friendly. The second Rose's back was turned he slipped out silently to find James staring at him, waiting.

"I was right, wasn't I, in thinking that there could be something very wrong with her?" Scorpius immediately said.

James nodded. "You must promise me that you'll never tell her I told you what I'm about to say," he paused briefly while Scorpius nodded then continued with a look of determination upon his face. "In fifth year that vermin Trayson York raped her," he spat, a look of fire in his eyes.

Scorpius was overcome with his fury and anger. He started to see red and adrenaline was pouring into his veins ready to tear the bastard's innards out. His hands clenched into fists and his nails dug into his palms with the force of his brute strength. He didn't even want to use a wand, just wanted to tear him limb from limb with his bare hands.

James seemed to know exactly what was happening because he, though slightly shorter than Scorpius, restrained Scorpius from leaping out of there and throttling the little devil. "Don't talk, just keep listening. Don't kill him, help her instead. She was doing her patrol as a prefect when he came upon her. I don't know the specifics but I was out against orders and was on my way back when I found them. He'd already done it by the time I got there but I managed to stun him, pick Rose up, and get out of there. She wouldn't talk to me for weeks but when she did she pretended like nothing had ever happened and that's when she became the reckless Rose. I never told anyone and I reckon she didn't either, so you need to protect her." James looked at Scorpius fiercely, as if judging whether or not he should entrust such an important secret to him. "She refuses to have a boyfriend and I know for a fact that she's only shagged since then when she was so drunk it wouldn't matter what was happening. And I'm sure you know that too," Scorpius's expression was sheepish when he realized that Al had obviously told his brother of what happens when they all end up drunk together.

"You had better as hell protect her from all of this," James said with a final warning, then turned around and left as quickly as he had come.

For a few moments after that, Scorpius was stunned. He mentally reran every memory he could recall of Rose. About halfway through fifth year, there was an obvious change in the girl he cared so much about. She was no longer just studious, caring, happy, and bright. She'd become, the word so often used to describe her, reckless, daring, bold, seemingly unafraid, and – though he almost dared not to say it – frightened of everything.

He remembered when he had snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around his waist, whispering in her ear, "Boo!" and her reaction was instantly socking him in the face, breaking his nose. He remembered when she'd roundhouse-kicked him in one of their numerous fights when he had accidentally touched too low on her waist. How she began to run from things, her feelings and people who could see past her bubbly façade.

Scorpius realized, that, as much as he wished James was pulling a fast one on him, he most certainly was not. This was too true to bear.

* * *

"Rosie," Scorpius pulled her into a suffocating hug, rocking her back and forth. She became conscious of the fact that wet drops were dripping onto her head. A few seconds later, she realized he was crying. The second she realized this, she knew James had told him.

Scorpius held onto her for the longest time. Eventually, Rose hugged him back.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he whispered. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't," she choked out. "I'm…weak. I wasn't strong enough to fight him off. I…I…" Rose trailed off as sobs wracked at her chest.

Scorpius just held her; wondering what he could do to repair the girl he cared so much about.


	3. Chapter 3

Scorpius held Rose for what seemed like forever. He'd guided her over to the coach and they were laying there now, Rose asleep.

Scorpius tried not to look at the tear tracks on her face. He tried not to look at her vulnerable expression or how worn out she looked. He pushed a stray strand of hair back and tucked it behind her ear. Freckles scattered the bridge of her nose and her cheeks.

Once, when they were fighting, Scorpius had insulted her saying that she looked like she had the smallpox with all of her freckles. He smiled slightly as she'd corrected him, telling him that the disease was actually called the chicken pox and then proceeded to tell him that he definitely didn't belong in his family because not only was he in Gryffindor, but he also had extremely unruly hair that stuck out in all directions and looked much more like Albus's hair or her great-uncle James's hair than Draco's hair.

Scorpius sighed. He had never seen Rose cry once, until today. She was the strongest person he knew. Rose put everyone else's needs and happiness before herself; he wasn't actually sure if she had ever really, truly been selfish since she was a very young girl.

Thinking about her as a young girl was slightly endearing to him. A too-large-for-her-face grin with a few teeth missing and her red curls bound into pigtails, holding up a dandelion. He grinned to himself. It was certainly something that she would have done.

Rose suddenly got up off of the couch and moved towards the fire. Scorpius instantly leaped up and grabbed onto her, steering her into her bedroom and getting her to lie on her bed. He exhaled a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding when she visibly relaxed and fell, hopefully, into R.E.M. cycle. It was her sleepwalking, again. Every time she moved to the fire.

Scorpius didn't understand why she moved there. It scared him slightly, to think that her subconscious was telling her to move towards fire. But then again, she was like fire in human form. She was passionate, and daring, strong. And breakable, defeatable, though she appeared not to be. He wasn't sure if it was her mask that was like fire, or her. But Scorpius had long ago decided that her mask was actually another side of her personality. It was her personality, but it was the happy and strong parts of it. She disguised the weaker parts.

Scorpius moved lethargically over to Rose's bedroom, deciding to check on her before he went to sleep. He opened the door quietly, and glanced over at the curled form lying under the bunched up covers. She was shaking slightly, muffled sounds coming from her.

He tiptoed over, closer to the bed, worried about her as ever. Rose had scrunched up the covers and pressed them over her mouth so only the tiniest sounds were being issued from her. Drops of water were slowly seeping out from underneath her scrunched up eyelids and she had new tear tracks on her face. She was crying.

Scorpius's heart wrenched at seeing the strongest person he knew having one of her weakest moments, while still trying to be strong. She had muffled her sobs, so that he would not hear and she would not worry him anymore.

He moved silently over to the side of her bed and knelt down so that he was at her level. "Rose," he whispered.

Her eyes flew open and her face set in a defensive expression. "What?" she whispered harshly.

Scorpius was a bit taken aback, but he ignored the warnings she was giving him and plowed on dangerously. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head and put her face back into the comforters.

He climbed up on top of the bed and underneath the covers and pulled her to him. "What's wrong?" he repeated, gentler this time.

She curled into him and tucked her head into his shoulder. "I just had a nightmare, that's all," she lied feebly, obviously downplaying what had happened.

He resisted the urge to scoff. She'd had plenty of nightmares before, but she'd ended up sleepwalking and then when he woke her up, she took off for a midnight run. It was sincerely a good thing that she was never caught. No professor knew about anything against rules or common sense they had ever done, if the situation was otherwise then they would not be Heads.

"What was it about?" Scorpius asked, decidedly playing along.

Rose was silent for a few moments and he waited patiently. If there was a trait that the two definitely did not share, it was patience. Scorpius could wait for centuries but Rose's feet would be tapping with impatience and her arms crossed with furrow in her brow and a frown upon her face. She couldn't wait for anything. She was always barreling ahead, unaware of obvious repercussions such things had.

"It wasn't so much a nightmare as a memory," she said.

Scorpius hugged her tighter, letting her know that she could tell him.

"Well, it was what James told you." He gripped her tighter now as a way for him not to go charging off and strangle the guy.

"But it wasn't that particular occurrence."

Scorpius was flooded with rage. "It happened more than once?!" his voice was filled with anger and he tried to leap up to throttle York. Rose knew exactly what he was about to do and put all of her weight on him, which really wasn't much, and succeeded in holding him down.

There was a long silence in which Rose stared at him, gauging his emotions, to make sure he wouldn't try to do anything. Scorpius still didn't trust him to speak, but he nodded to tell Rose to continue.

She settled back down against him. "Remember how he and I were friends for awhile in fifth year?"

Scorpius nodded again, not sure if he'd be very coherent. He was still seeing red.

"Well we'd get together everyone once in awhile and basically hook up. But one day we ended up daring each other to do random things. He dared me to strip tease while giving him a lap dance." She took a breath there and Scorpius dug his nails into the mattress as an effort to stop him ripping York's small intestine out and then choking him with it.

"And well, you know me; I can't back down from a dare. So I started to do it, but he, well, he yanked the elastic out my hair and pulled my shirt down, then started groping me. I told him to stop and tried to get off him and leave but instead he pushed me down on the floor and got on top of me. He–he p-pulled my shirt and b-bra off and-d put one of his h-hands up my skirt and tried to pull m-my knickers off. I k-kicked him in the groin and while he was on the floor I pulled my clothes back on and ran off. He tried two other times before he finally succeeded in getting me alone and completely defenseless." Rose shook and sobbed in Scorpius's chest, not noticing the tears making their way down her best friend's face. He hugged her tighter and rocked her back and forth slightly, in a comforting motion.

"I will never let anything like that happen to you again, I promise," Scorpius whispered in her ear.

"But someday you might not be able to stop it," she said, her voice thick from crying and muffled by his shirt.

"Look at me," he said. Her face moved very slowly upwards so that her eyes eventually connected with his. "I will _never_ let that happen." Her eyes bore into his, round, wet, and slightly fearful. She swallowed and nodded very slightly, it'd be almost impossible to notice if he hadn't been looking for it.

"I've never felt so weak," she said softly, never breaking the gaze. "I couldn't do anything. I couldn't move. I couldn't scream. He was so much stronger." Sobs racked her body once more and she resigned to leave her head resting on his chest.

Scorpius leaned forward and kissed her temple. "I promise I will always be there."

In the next few weeks, though, Scorpius found that Rose seemed to not want him there.

He'd known that she'd try to be strong and to avoid ever talking about her feelings about anything with him ever again; but he'd thought that when they'd waken up next to each other in her bed that day with him basically spooning her and his arm across her waist holding him tightly to her, that maybe she'd try harder to convey her feelings and emotions to him, not try harder to hide them.

Al was becoming increasingly aware of the tension between his two best friends. The three of them were inseparable, so inseparable that the teachers practically referred to them as the Three Musketeers.

Scorpius and Al had been conversing in undertones one day in the hallway about Rose's change in attitude once again when suddenly she rushed past them into the bathroom that was on their left. They heard retching and gagging noises, glanced at one another, and immediately headed into the Boys' Lavatory that Rose had just run into.

She was on her knees in the first stall, kneeling over the toilet in which she had just emptied the contents of her stomach for the second time that morning, and fifth time that week.

"Rose?" Albus asked weakly, seeing his cousin in such a distressing situation and position. "Are you feeling alright?"

She shook her head, possibly attempting to rid herself of nausea, or at least that's what Scorpius told himself. Then she stood up and looked a bit dazed but said, "Yeah, I feel fine now, just like I need to brush my teeth or something," she laughed a bit half-hazardly and walked over to the sinks to rinse her mouth out.

"Well, then, you do realize that this is the Boys' Lavatory?" Albus asked, smirking as he leaned up against a wall and stared at her.

She glanced around and realized that it was, in fact, the second floor Boys' Lavatory right near the Transfiguration classroom. Rose bit back a smile, but couldn't contain it and started to laugh outright.

Albus and Scorpius shared a look as they watched her intoxicate herself with giddiness and laughter.

"So, in a few days, we're really not going to need firewhiskey for your birthday, we're just going to have to get you to laugh to get you drunk?" Albus said, still smirking contentedly.

Rose suddenly stopped laughing. She stood up straight very slowly with a dazed look in her eyes. Her head was titled to one side and she appeared to be calculating something. All of a sudden, a look of comprehension and horror dawned on her face and she fled the bathroom without another word.

"I got this one," Scorpius said, exiting the bathroom and walking after the sprinting redhead going towards the Head dormitories.

He entered into the common room and fleetingly rested his gaze on all corners of the room but she wasn't there. He went into his room and dumped his book bag on his bed then proceeded into the bathroom, not wanting to go into Rose's room where she obviously was.

Except, she was certainly not there. Instead, she was standing at the sink counter in the bathroom, staring at a white plastic strip – thingy with a pink plus sign at one end of it. Scoripus could only assume it was a muggle invention because he had never seen it before. But he could read, and as he walked over to the blue box lying on the counter next to Rose, he almost wished he couldn't:

LEADING PREGNANCY TEST

(PINK PLUS MEANS POSITIVE)

Sure enough, as he looked back down at the offending plastic object which he could only assume was the pregnancy test, an equally offending pink plus sign was staring back at him.

His face must have had the exact same look of horror as Rose's did, as she stared, unmoving, at the little math symbol that was going to permanently change her life forever.


	4. Chapter 4

Rose stared at the God-damned object in her hand.

A stupid-effing little pink plus sign.

She heard a noise and out of the corner of her eye saw Scorpius staring at her. He obviously knew what was going on. She felt no reason to move or speak.

Suddenly Albus came barreling through into the bathroom and yelled urgently, "What's going on?!" He stopped dead as he saw the box lying on the counter, and then the plastic object in his favorite cousin's hand. His face went as pale as a ghost's and his eyes became wide and fearful, their natural green turning a hazel, as always, when he was scared. Rose consciously prepared herself for accidental magic to come spewing out of Al as it was what happened at times when he became frightened.

But instead, he fled the room, as fast as he could possibly go. She knew he was headed to go and fly around the quidditch pitch for an unbearable amount of time.

Rose was still frozen in place, almost like a full-body bind curse was upon her.

Scorpius walked over to her cautiously, turned her around quickly, and wrapped her in a fierce hug.

"It'll be okay," he murmured into her ear, stroking her hair and pulling her as close to him as humanly possible.

But she didn't hug back. She just stood there, unmoving.

"I promise, things will be okay," Scorpius said.

"No," she choked out. "They won't be. We're the fucking Head students. We can't have a baby! I'm seventeen! You're barely eighteen. We've ruined our whole lives."

"Stop saying that. Everything will be fine," Scorpius whispered ferociously. He was starting to get offended. He remembered the time when she'd gotten so drunk that Albus and he had asked her the most ridiculous questions for a consecutive two hours before she passed out. She said she'd wanted at least five kids and to have a wonderful wedding with the man she loved but most likely elope with him so she didn't have to go through 'that whole wedding crap'. Of course, the next day when he'd told her she'd said all of this, she laughed and told him that was impossible because she didn't believe in love.

Scorpius remembered feeling as if he'd taken a bludger right to the gut. She didn't believe in love.

Now, as he stood there looking at the girl he would do anything to protect, he remembered this. Was part of the reason she didn't want this baby because she wasn't in love with its father?

"Get rid of it!" she pleaded with him. Tears were falling fast and furiously down her face, her neck was turning a red color as it always did when she was upset and her eyes were extremely glassy. She hit her fists against his chest until he grabbed her wrists to yield her attack. "Get rid of it, get rid of it, get rid of it!" she sobbed.

"Rose, stop." His voice was commanding and she looked up fearfully.

"Get rid of it," she whispered. Rose's eyes were wide and captivating, they were an unusually, and equally startling, light blue. Most times they were a darker blue with a bit of gray.

"No," he said. "Who cares if we're supposedly too young? We're stuck with this whether we like it or not. We brought the situation on ourselves, and now we have to deal with it. So get over it." His tone was harsh and defensive. Did he think she didn't want the baby because he was the father?

She stood up, snatched her hands from his clutch, brushed her tears away with the sleeve of her robe, and left the bathroom, slamming the door to her room in a fury.

Rose quickly changed into running clothes and stuffed her trainers on her feet. Whenever she had a problem, she ran. Scorpius said this was symbolic; that she ran from her problems in her mind too.

Rose would run and run as fast as she possibly could until all of the thoughts in her head turned from paragraphs and sentences to flashes of words skipping across her mind, then to letters played out in a symphony of picture before her, until those were gone too and it was just her rhythmic breathing and the beating sounds of her feet on the ground were all she could hear and think about. When she ran she left all of her problems behind her, and this was certainly a problem she wanted to leave behind.


	5. Chapter 5

Scorpius watched as Rose disappeared into her room, slamming the door and obviously taking off to go run.

He abruptly turned towards the shower stall and kicked it with a passion and fierce so great it knocked the door clean off of its hinges. He didn't even wince as he saw the damage. Good thing magic would be able to fix it.

Striding back into the common room, he arrived just as Rose sprinted out and Albus stormed through.

But Scorpius didn't care. Instead, he grabbed the lamp on the table and threw it against the stone wall. The crash echoed in the space and the shards lay scattered upon the floor, a brilliant array of painted porcelain now worthless in his rage.

"Damnit!" he roared, and punched the wall. He internally winced as he saw his knuckles now scraped raw and coated in blood. His own blood. Scorpius had always remembered that his stupidity and emotion overruled his common sense and logical side when he was angry.

What didn't help him calming down, was Albus punching him square in the jaw.

"You fucking knocked up my cousin!" he yelled.

Scorpius had no doubt that the entirety of Hogwarts knew of what had happened by now.

"It's not like it's all my fault!" he shouted back. "She had to have had a part in it too!"

"But you're not stuck with it! She is! You can walk away at any time, deciding that you don't want to do this anymore. But what about her?! Huh?! She's stuck with this. She's not going to be able to be a curse breaker for Gringott's like she's always wanted to be, now. But not you. Nothing happens to you. You can go on to get that fabulous internship at St. Mungo's and proceed on to being a Healer just like mummy and daddy have always wanted for you!" Albus's face was livid. His eyes were wide and accusing, his lips turned up in a sneer. He was full of hatred, directed towards his best friend.

"You think I'm going to leave her?! You think I'm just going to ditch her? Do you not know me better than that?!"

"Maybe not, then! But I know her. She's not going to want you to be around if it means you giving up your dream. She's going to tell you to go away and chase after what you've always wanted. But inside, she's going to be crying her heart out. Something that she'd never let anybody see, let alone _you._ Don't you get it?! You're the reason she's in this mess! She's not going to want anything to do with you!"

Scorpius strode right up to Albus. "I am not going to leave her. I will do whatever is right."

"What if whatever is right and whatever she decides are two different things?" Albus retorted.

"I highly doubt that," a new voice said. The two fighting boys turned towards the sound and saw their best friend staring at them from the entrance.

"How long have you been there?" Scorpius's voice sounded coarse and rough. It sounded as if he'd just had the shouting match of his life topped off with a sore throat and cold.

"The entire time. Do you two honestly think I'm stupid enough to just leave when Albus comes in looking like he's going to murder someone?" Rose placed a hand on her hip and stared at them, giving them the most 'duh!' look.

Albus coughed and Scoripus shuffled his feet, neither one of them meeting each other's eyes.

"I'm not going to make you two apologize, I know it won't do any good," Rose said, flopping herself down on the couch. "But do you seriously think that either of you have a good idea of what's going on in my head right now?" Rose held her hand up as both boys showed extreme signs of proving her wrong. "Better question, do either of you seriously think that it is a _good idea_ to say that you know what is going on in my head right now?"

The two of them shook their heads. Rose patted the couch on either side of her, motioning for them to sit down with her.

"We'll get through it," she murmured, squished between her two best friends. "It'll all be fine." But Albus and Scorpius knew that she was lying through her teeth to protect them.

* * *

"The planets have aligned today to tell me that I shall be letting you go early, today. Who am I to interrupt fate? Therefore, please pack your belongings and hurry along to your next class! I shall be watching your auras in my crystal ball until we meet again!" Professor Trelawney tittered around, bumping into a few of the little rickety tables near the front of her class.

Rose rolled her eyes and stuffed her books into her bag, barreling out of the stuffy tower. Albus and Scorpius were right behind her.

"I swear, that old broad is getting more and more loopy each class!" Albus says, as they turn a corner to head to Transfiguraiton.

"I don't know how much more loopy she can get. Please, relying on the planets aligning to tell her what to do," Rose scoffed, "it's like she's trying to be fired."

"McGonagall would never fire her. She might hate her, but she won't fire her. I doubt that Trelawney would be able to survive outside of Hogwarts and McGonagall isn't cruel enough to test if she could or not," said Scorpius.

"True," Rose said as Albus shrugged his shoulders in agreement.

"Whoa, ho, ho, look who we have here," a boy strutted forward towards the three of them, his cheek-length black hair whipping to the sides of his face as he launched himself down the corridor.

"Oh, shit," Rose grumbled, planting her feet firmly on the ground. He wouldn't do it now, in the middle of the hallway, in the middle of the day, would he?

"If it isn't poor little Rosie and her two bodyguards," he sneered tauntingly.

Rose took a step forward and raised her arm with her hand curled into a fist as if she meant to slug him in the nose.

"Back off if you know what's good for you," Albus said, protectively stepping in front of Rose as Scorpius restrained Rose from killing the third male.

But Rose felt like Scorpius needed restraining more than she did. He was shaking with anger and she was sure that he was only gripping her so hard so that he, himself, did not tackle the infuriating unwelcome bastard to the ground and rip him apart.

"York, just go away," Albus said, disgusted with the seventh-year Slytherin.

Rose was feeling quite grateful right then that Albus had no idea what had happened. If he knew, Albus would be long past tearing York's brains out and stuffing them up his ass as he pummeled every inch of him.

"Not until I speak to Rosie-Posie over there," he grinned like the Cheshire Cat and winked at the fiery redhead. York pushed Albus aside and before either of them could do anything, Rose's wand was out, pointed at York.

"If you take a step closer, I swear I will hex you into oblivion," she threatened.

York's grin only grew wider. "Oh, darling, you'd never do that." He whipped his own wand out so fast that Rose had barely seen him move.

The people who had accumulated to watch the apparent argument faded into the background. All of a sudden, it was just York. Just York and his taunting ridiculing smile, the one she so wanted to wipe off of his face.

She didn't even remember casting the hex, but she heard him shout, "Stupefy!" quite clearly, hitting her squarely on her abdomen.

Instead of the blacking out she knew came with being stupefied, she felt an excruciating pain in her abdomen followed by a loud 'crack!' which she never felt, and then only a dull ache.

Rose knew her face was painted in horror, as she felt a thick liquid drip down her legs a bit. She knew what it was. Blood.

Hazy blackness surrounded her and swallowed her whole as she fainted.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you so much for your reviews!! Escpecially A True Dreamer!!**

Rose blinked lethargically and was greeted by the sight of a tall, sweeping ceiling painted a deathly pale white. She could recognize the sight no matter the circumstance: the hospital wing ceiling.

She'd been there countless times in her first six years at Hogwarts; mostly for Quidditch injuries. The majority of her family had a bed reserved here, practically knowing that they'd be in there with each match. Although Trelawney would call it 'using your inner eye to see the future', Rose knew it was just the fact of plain and simple probability.

But the sight, as she propped herself up on her elbows, that greeted her this time was not the usual. Instead of a couple of teammates and friends clustered around her, there was McGonagall, and her mum and dad.

Hermione and Ron were looking anywhere but at their daughter. Hermione's gaze was fixed soundly on the wall above Rose's head while Ron stared with a kind of fixation at his twiddling thumbs.

McGonagall, though, was at no loss of what to say. She gave a startled Rose a hug, and then stood up erect with the posture of a graceful dancer. "I'm very disappointed in you, Rose." Rose felt her headmistress's cold stare of utter disappointment. Professor McGonagall left the room quickly and shut the doors behind her.

She sat there in an uncomfortable silence staring at her parents as they did their very best not to stare back.

Finally, Hermione looked up at her. Rose's blue eyes had filled with tears when McGonagall, one of the people she admired and respected the most, had shown her that she should be ashamed because she had let down a magnitude of people. But as her mother looked at her, Rose felt like those tears that had come so close to falling were trivial in comparison to the ones cascading down her face now.

Hermione just stared at her daughter. She didn't do anything. Her face was a mask, devoid of all emotion. She shook her head slowly, back and forth, once, and then left.

Her mother's retreating footsteps put sound into the unbearable quiet. Ron fleetingly lifted his head to glance at his daughter, but put it back down the second he'd looked up. "She died," he mumbled, then tore out of the room and joined his wife outside of the hospital wing.

_It is a girl,_ Rose thought with astonishment. But she quickly corrected herself: it _was _a girl. The words '_she died_' kept playing over and over in Rose's head. _She died, she died, she died, she died, she died..._

* * *

"Ron! What are you doing?" Ginny scolded her brother as he barged into her home, tearing open the refrigerator, grabbing a large bottle of unopened firewhisky, and plopping himself in one of the seats at the island counter in the middle of the kitchen.

"Ron's here? What?" Harry's head appeared in the doorway, and the rest of him soon followed as he saw his best friend in his kitchen downing a great quantity of alcohol in a short amount of time.

Harry glanced at his wife and she shrugged, indicating she had absolutely no idea what was wrong.

"Ron? What's going on?" asked Ginny cautiously. She looked at her older brother warily and eyed the firewhisky with contempt.

"She's pregnant," he mumbled, taking another swig of the offending liquid. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, causing Ginny to look at him with disgust and Harry, concern. "Well, she _was_ pregnant."

"Hermione?" asked Harry, deciding it'd probably be good to take initiative and ask questions rather than wait for slurred answers. "Well, you can always try again, can't you? Besides, Rose is in her last year of school and Hugo is in his fifth. You could always adopt." Harry glanced at Ginny, his face bewildered and extremely confused. When Hermione had miscarried the first time, before Rose, Ron had not acted like this at all.

"No, not Hermione," Ron said.

"Well, then who?" Ginny was becoming increasingly impatient. Her foot was tapping against the floor and her arms were tightly crossed. She looked ready to lunge at him if he did not give some sort of answer soon.

"Rose," he moaned, the sound full of despair. His head flopped forward to lie on the counter.

"What?!" Harry cried, outraged. "Who the bloody hell am I going to go attack for getting her pregnant?!" He grabbed for his wand and started out the door, his brow furrowed and his intent clear.

"Shush, Harry, now's not the time for heroics," Ginny literally shoved Harry into a seat next to Ron and began pacing.

"I'm a terrible father. If I was a better father then she wouldn't be in this mess," Ron suddenly punched the table.

"Hiya, Uncle Ron!" James bounded into the kitchen, oblivious to the tense atmosphere and glares he was receiving from his parents. "You're not a terrible father!"

"James, go to your room," Ginny ordered, her voice low and deadly, her gaze unwavering from her son as he continued to ignore them.

"Why?" he asked, giving his mother the exact same glare she was giving him. He'd pick up on it when he was about six, and had proceeded to do it increasingly often, almost always directed towards his mother, much to his mother's annoyance. But Harry always laughed heartily when he saw his eldest son reciprocate The Glare, as he called it.

"Just do it," Ginny sighed, leaning onto the counter with her head in her hands.

"No, really, let him stay. After all, everyone's going to find out eventually." Ron stood up and waved his arms about while swaying on the spot. "Rose's pregnant! And no one knows who the father is! Except, the baby got hit by a stunning spell by some Trayson York kid and it almost definitely killed the bastard baby. And, it's a girl! Who knew?!" Ron fell to the floor and slumped against the side of the refrigerator.

James's face went deadly white. "Trayson York?" he said, his hands curling into fists.

Ron nodded: confirmation.

James suddenly turned and let out a frustrated bloodcurdling yell as he punched the wall, breaking through the plaster.

Harry and Ginny took a step back while Ron simply look flabbergasted.

"You know York?" he asked.

"Oh hell do I know him. ROSIE WAS FUCKING RAPED BY HIM!" he shouted at the pinnacle point of extreme noise. As James realized what he'd said, his features went deathly white and his eyes became as round as a snitch. "Er…er…never mind," he stuttered and tried to race out the door.

But Harry was too quick and pulled him back, slamming him into the wall. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing, just babbling, don't mind me," he stammered, and tried to inch away from his parents and uncle.

"She. Was. Raped." Ron spoke through clenched teeth, his own hands had curled into fists and he was clenching them so tight the skin was turning a purple-ish color. "When I get my hands on that bastard he will wake up in St. Mungo's when he's sixty!"

* * *

Scorpius stood by Rose's bedside, her tiny form wrapped beneath layers of blankets.

"C'mon, Rosie, be strong, wake up," he murmured. "McGonagall isn't really that disappointed. I'm sure that she'll be okay soon. And your parents aren't going to disown you. They love you so much."

Scorpius wondered if Rose could hear him. It was said that when people were in a coma they could often hear what people were saying to them. But Rose wasn't in a coma; she was just asleep.

"I wouldn't get too close to her, if I were you," a voice behind Scorpius said. He turned to see Albus standing there, staring at the still form of his favorite cousin. "Her dad will be on the warpath to whoever fathered that child. You don't want to give my uncle Ron any reason to suspect that it was you."

Scorpius nodded mutely and backed away from the hospital bed with the red curls tumbled all over the pillow sprouted from the girl who was usually never still but who, at that moment, looked so still she could be in death.

"Let's just go," Albus said. He looked dejected as he glanced sparingly at his cousin, before turning around and striding out of the hospital wing.

Scorpius allowed for one quick glance back, until then he too, left Rose utterly alone.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks so much everyone for reviewing!! I know the characters in the last chapter were kind of OOC but I hope this chapter explains that a bit. (Haha, yes, it was kind of on purpose.)**

Hermione burst through the doors into the Potters' kitchen. "Ron! What are you doing here!? You just stormed out of the hospital, leaving Rose there! And I raced after you and I left her there too!" Hermione's face was frantic with a mixture of worry and annoyance. She felt like a terrible person for running out on her daughter like that and had resolved that she was returning the second that she knew Ron was alright. She knew that Rose would forgive her once she explained and hugged her fiercely. Rose and Hermione had always been close, pretty much telling each other everything. She knew Rose would be okay.

But Ron on the other hand…

"Well? What are you doing?" repeated Hermione. She took a second to catalogue her husband's erratic appearance. His hands were clenching and unclenching rhythmically to his own breathing which was abnormal and hissing, air passing through his clenched teeth. His brow was furrowed and his nostrils flaring while his eyes looked like they could burn right through you.

"What happened?" she asked, more cautiously. Hermione glanced at Harry and then Ginny, and then James, hoping for some hint.

Harry grabbed his wand and sent a stunning spell at Ron, knocking him out fully.

Hermione's jaw dropped. "What the hell is going on here?!" she shouted.

"Sorry, but he really shouldn't have to hear this again," Harry shrugged, putting his wand back in his pocket.

He looked like he was about to speak, but Ginny put her hand on his forearm and shook her head gently. "He'll be fine here, you just go back to Rose," she said.

Hermione looked between the two of them and her husband, knocked unconscious on the floor. Her urge to help her husband fought with the need and want to comfort her daughter. Comforting Rose won out and she nodded then turned and fled back to Hogwarts where hopefully, Rose was not about ready to kill her.

In her flurry to find out if her husband was alright, she had forgotten that she had left the hospital wing first, even if in search of Ron. It hadn't even registered to her that he was standing next to her.

* * *

"Rose!" Hermione flung herself at her daughter, engulfing her in a tight hug, rocking her back and forth. "I'm so sorry I left, honey. I love you, no matter what happens."

Rose hugged her mother tightly, clinging to the sole person who was caring for her right then, or so it felt at least. "It's okay, Mum. It doesn't matter. It died."

Hermione pulled back from the hug, a confused expression on her face. "No it didn't. Madam Pomfrey's niece told us that she had been able to fix all the damage the spell did and that the baby was completely fine." She was eyeing her daughter curiously. "Who said it died?"

Rose had a look of utmost shock on her face. "But, but Dad said 'She died'."

A look of comprehension arose on Hermione's face and a lump rose in her throat. "Honey, it wasn't the baby. Besides, it's too early to tell the gender. Grandma Weasley was admitted to the hospital this morning. We were planning on coming here to get you and Hugo when we got a letter from Professor McGonagall saying that we were needed because you were in the hospital wing. Again."

Rose felt tears spring to her eyes for the umpteenth time that day. "Nana? But, but she's healthy! She's fine! I saw her just a few weeks ago! What could possibly be wrong with her?" Rose disregarded everything her mother had just said about the baby. Those words hadn't even processed in her mind; all she cared about then was the unsure look on her mum's face; a look that didn't occur often. Something must really be wrong with her nana.

Hermione swallowed. "They, um, don't exactly know. The symptoms aren't commonly found together and right now it looks like she has a cross between dragon pox and spattergroit. But it's never been heard of before so the healers don't know what to do." Rose held a great anxiety in her expression. Hermione, upon seeing this, pulled Rose back into a suffocating hug. "When we were there this morning they said they were doing everything they could to help her. It's okay, she'll be okay."

"Hermione! Rose!" Ginny burst through the doors into the hospital wing, her hair was dishevled and her cheeks rosy, obviously from racing up to the castle from whatever point she had apparated to.

Upon laying eyes on them, she sprinted into them, nearly knocking the two off of the bed as she held onto them fiercely.

"Hey, Aunt Ginny," Rose said weakly, offering up a timid smile.

"Oh, honey, I'm so glad you're alright," Ginny exclaimed. She studied her niece for a second, searching for signs of what she now knew York had done to her. There was nothing. Rose was skilled at hiding things she didn't want others to know. But Ginny refrained from mentioning anything that James had told them. She obviously didn't want them to ever know.

"Thanks, Aunt Ginny," Rose mumbled, a few more tears escaping and leaving trails on her cheek.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright."

"Ginny, the baby's alright, what Ron said about the miscarriage was completely wrong. I promise," Hermione smiled.

But it was nothing compared to Ginny's ecstatic grin. "Really?" she squealed. Rose looked a bit shell-shocked as well.

Hermione nodded and Ginny clapped her hands together happily. "I'm going to be a great-aunt!"

"Wait," Rose interjected, confused, "aren't you two supposed to be upset with me? Disowning me? Shouting and scolding? Something?"

Ginny and Hermione exchanged a glance. "Well," Hermione began, "what McGonagall said to you was only a few words, but your eyes showed how much it hurt. Plus, you're going to be living with this for the rest of the life no matter what your choice; it'll always stay with you. It could be punishment enough, or it could be an incredible joy. And we will love you no matter what happens."

"On the practical side, we figured you needed at least a few people to stand by you when the entire male population of our family is going to murder the father, and then you," Ginny said. "On that note, who is the father?"

Rose sighed. "You're not going to like it. It's probably best if the baby just doesn't have a father."

Hermione gasped quietly. "Don't say that. It's always best for a child to have both parents."

"I'm sure whoever it is will be fine," Ginny reassured Rose.

"Why didn't you tell us you had a boyfriend?" asked Hermione.

"I don't have a boyfriend," Rose said, looking down at her hands which were clasped tightly together and resting on the white bedspread.

"Oh," chorused Ginny and Hermione.

"It doesn't matter, if you aren't close to them then they never have to know, right?" Ginny said.

"But I am close to them. He's my best friend, who I'm not actually related to."

"Who is it, darling?"

"Mmdos Mdmfy," Rose mumbled, completely incoherent.

"Who?"

"Scorpius Malfoy," she whispered. "But it doesn't matter. Is Nana okay? Can we go see her?"

Rose's change of subject didn't affect her mum or her aunt whatsoever. Instead of telling her that they were leaving right then to go visit her nana in the hospital, they stared blankly at her in shock. Hermione was the first to regain her composure.

"Well, I'm sure he's a very nice boy," she said, smoothing her skirts and looking anywhere but towards the door where she was sure that she would be able to find Scorpius quite near there.

"He is, don't worry. Albus is great friends with him as well and he spends a large portion of the summer holidays at our house. He's a great kid," Ginny added.

"Thanks," Rose whispered to her aunt. Ginny nodded in recognition.

"I wouldn't say anything to your father about that just yet," said Hermione. "He might have a heart attack. And he doesn't need anything else to worry about; he's just been so out of it."

"Can we go see Nana now, please?" Rose practically whined.

"Okay," Hermione said.

Rose was ready in about two minutes and the three of them trooped out of the hospital wing and got Hugo before they left the castle.

At the entrance hall, a very familiar tall muscular blonde with piercing grays eyes was leaning casually against the wall, watching their departure.

Rose felt someone's eyes boring into her and spun around to come face to face with Scoripus. She blinked and tried to stammer out a few words or a sentence but to no avail. Instead she quickly walked away from her best friend to catch up to her family, trying to ignore how those eyes had conveyed to her that they'd heard everything she'd said in the hospital wing. _It's probably best if the baby just doesn't have a father._


	8. Chapter 8

The entire Weasley-Potter clan was huddled around a small bed holding a rather plump witch with salt and pepper hair who was sitting up conversing weakly with her husband.

Rose could not take her eyes off of her nana. She looked frailer and less jovial than usual, and when she had hugged her earlier, she hadn't smelled like baby powder and cooking spices, instead the sterile ammonia aroma of the hospital was clinging to her and had made Rose flinch away.

Granddad was patting Nana's arm comfortingly while speaking to her in hushed tones, casually glancing covertly at each of his children, in-laws, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren seemingly to make sure that none had overheard whatever was being said.

Uncle Bill and Uncle Harry were also doing the whole 'talking in hushed tones' thing in the corner where they were soon approached by her father, who they welcomed eagerly into their conversation. Uncle Charlie was talking to Teddy, Uncle George, and Aunt Ginny, who was hitting them every one in a while on the arm. Aunt Fleur was holding a comforting arm around her youngest daughter, Dominique, while her and Uncle Bill's son, Louis, was seated with Fred, James, Albus, and Hugo, most likely plotting mischief. Roxanne was in deep conversation with Lily, both of them gesturing wildly. Uncle Percy was sitting next to his wife with his daughters, Molly and Lucy, staring into space while Lucy tried to get her surrounding immediate family to smile. Her mom was in rapid conversation with the healer in the doorway, trying to extricate a measurement of information from him. Victoire was holding her daughter on her hip, staring at Rose, who had her arms wrapped around her middle and was swaying a bit while biting her lip.

Victoire walked over to Rose and put an arm around her. Rose looked up at the sudden contact and saw her cousin standing a bit over her smiling lightly. "Hey, Rosie," she said softly, readjusting Claire on her hip.

"Hey Vicky," she mumbled, leaning into Victoire's side as Victoire wrapped her arm tighter around Rose.

Victoire had always been like an older sister to Rose, but without the fighting and arguing. They got along extraordinarily well and Victoire had always helped Rose with anything, no matter what. She was the one who Rose told about her first crush, always came to for advice, and if she wanted to do or say anything, Victoire was there for her. It was a bit like how Rose was for Lily nowadays.

Rose wanted desperately to tell her cousin about what had happened. She glanced quickly at her mother and her aunt Ginny, both seemingly unaware of the thoughts rushing through her mind right then.

"Vics, can I talk to you?" she murmured discreetly, hoping that Victoire would catch on to her tone and understand that it was serious.

Victoire understood immediately and gently pulled Rose outside of the room into the bustling white hallway of St. Mungo's ICU. Victoire searched Rose's face slightly hungrily, looking for any sign of what was coming next.

"What's wrong?" she asked, laying a hand on Rose's forearm.

They sat down on the bench against the wall, Victoire setting Claire on her lap with an arm firm around her so she would not have a chance of falling.

Rose looked at her cousin and felt a few tears dribble down her face.

"Oh, honey," Victoire pulled Rose into her, putting Rose's head on her shoulder: a shoulder to cry on. Victoire certainly was that. "Shh, shh, it'll be alright," she coaxed, holding her gently until the tears subsided a few minutes later.

"Victoire, I'm serious, it's serious, you're going to hate me," Rose finally said, staring up at her cousin with red and watery eyes.

"Of course not, I would never hate you. Tell me what's wrong."

"I'm pregnant," she coughed out, new sobs wracking her body.

Victoire just kept holding her and rocking her, letting her cry. She knew the tears needed to dry up like a riverbed before Rose would begin to accept it. Rose had always been a fighter. She fought everything and it took her quite awhile to accept anything or lose, which she almost never did graciously. Victoire had spent many times try to convince Rose that she doesn't have to fight good things.

When Rose stopped shaking and sat up awkwardly, Victoire looked her right in the eye and said, "Rosie, this is not a bad thing. You've always been great with Claire and kids. You love to babysit. You love to look after little kids, babies, toddlers, anyone younger than you basically. So what if it's not at the right time or you're not married? You will be one hell of an amazing mother. I promise. You are the strongest, most caring, bold, daring, slightly reckless person I have ever met and you can handle whatever you set your mind to. Set your mind to doing well with this, and everything will be alright. It'll be better than alright, it'll be fantastic." Victoire ended her speech with earnestness and made complete eye-contact with Rose.

Rose's feelings shone right through her usual façade. She was worried, frightened, but calmed a bit. Victoire had helped her, like always.

"Thanks Vic," she sighed, hugging her cousin once again. Rose laughed watery once and glanced up at her cousin again, breaking the hug. "You know, when I first found out I told Scorpius to, I think 'get it out of me, get it out of me, get it out' were my exact words."

Victoire laughed. "Don't worry, you'll be a fabulous mother, I promise. Just look at how good you are with Claire."

At the mention of her name she looked up, smiling brightly and her hair changed from the same natural silvery blonde of her mother and grandmother to a bright, radiant teal which she learned from Teddy. She giggled, her mouth opened wide showing all of her teeth that were coming in, and she reached for Rose. Rose picked her up and swung her about, causing giddy bursts of laughter to squeal from the baby girl.

"Okay, I can do this," Rose said out loud, though more to herself than to Victoire.

"Yes, you can," Victoire smiled proudly at her cousin, playing with her daughter, both of them grinning with light in their eyes.

"Come on, we better get back inside," Victoire stood up and Rose followed suit, bouncing Claire on her hip with each step, Victoire hearing the little chuckles coming from both of them behind her.

* * *

"Dad, I have something to tell you." Rose was at the kitchen table seated for dinner with her parents and brother.

Each child of the matriarch and patriarch Weasley were taking shifts staying at the hospital with their families and right then was Bill's turn, so Bill, Fleur, Dominique, Louis, Victoire, Teddy, and Claire were all telling jokes and trying to perk up their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, respectively. Teddy was visiting both with his wife and daughter and again later with the Potter shift, including his adoptive parents.

Right then, Ron and Hermione had decided that it'd be good to go home for a bit and eat before their shift after. They hadn't been home all day and Rose felt that it'd be better to tell her father that his grandchild was going to be the spawn of his childhood enemy's son at home so that he could storm away or yell privately instead of publicly with many witnesses. The thing Rose hadn't thought of, was that at least if she told her father publicly it meant he couldn't kill her or that there would be enough people to restrain him from going off to kill Scorpius.

"What, Rose? What more than that you're pregnant?" Ron sighed tiredly. Hugo's ears perked up and he stared incredulously at his sister. He had obviously not heard, yet.

"Well, seeing as it wasn't immaculately conceived I would've thought you'd like to know who its other set of grandparents were," Rose snapped, fed up with everything even though she promised herself that she'd try to be calm and collected. "But if you'd rather we stuck to the immaculate religious crap we can go that route, instead of the truth."

Ron picked his head up and looked warily at his daughter whose temper was so like his own.

Hermione, sensing the danger, interjected quickly, "Rose, maybe now's not the best time – "

" – No, it bloody well is the best time! I want to know!" shouted Hugo.

"It's none of your business!" Rose rounded on him.

"It is too! I think I have a right to know who my sister has slept with considering she's not actually in a relationship with anyone!"

Ron winced at Hugo's proclamation and sunk a bit lower in his seat. He was doing better than earlier that day, but it was very late, past midnight, and he just wanted to make sure that his mother was alright, that Rose was making a joke, and that when he woke up he wouldn't have any work because Harry, the Head of the Auror Department, had suddenly decided that he didn't need his second-in-command and gave him the day off. But both of them were taking the next few weeks off anyways for their mother anyways, so it didn't matter.

"Oh, Ron, stop being such a baby and man up! You knew this was going to happen one day," Hermione chided her husband.

"I thought it would be a bit later," Ron meakly defended himself, slumping lower in his seat.

"Honestly, Ronald, if you sink any lower in that seat you'll be on the floor," Hermione said, throwing her knife down on the table from where she had been previously cutting up her green beans. "Rose," she turned to her daughter, "I think it'd be best if I tell him later, why don't you two go up to bed and try to get some sleep?"

Rose nodded and pushed her chair back, leaving her dinner plate where it was as Hugo did the same and trooped up the stairs into her bedroom, sinking into a deep sleep the second her head hit the pillow.

* * *

How did she know the next day that her mother had told her father? He was staring at his daughter in shock when she came down for breakfast and his first words to her were, "How could you possibly sleep with your best friend, whom you have no feelings for, sober?"

She rolled her eyes and fell into a chair at the table in front of a plate of blueberry pancakes.

"Are you saying you weren't sober?" he thundered incredulously. She nodded mutely while coating the thin pancakes on her plate in massive amounts of butter. Her mom had already subdued him quite a bit. Instead of going for the, 'I can't believe you fucking slept with a Death Eater's son and the son of my enemy!' he had passed that by multiple steps. Her dad got really dramatic when he was mad.

"So you were drunk?"

Rose nodded again and she drowned her pancakes in syrup so that they looked like little islands.

"You were drunk!"

Ron fell back into his seat with his hand covering his face. Rose rolled her eyes again: excessive drama.

"You should have been in theatre, Ronald, you're extremely dramatic," Hermione said as she strolled into the kitchen with her own plate of pancakes topped with powdered sugar and extra blueberries. Hermione had never been a syrup person; it was a bit too messy.

It was Ron's turn to roll his eyes, doing so as he reached for more pancakes. He also seemed to grow even more ravenous than usual when he was angry.

But in his midway reach to the stack of pancakes in the center of the table, he looked up at Rose. "I cannot believe you slept with anyone, let alone Scorpius. I have let that kid come over here for at least two weeks every summer since first year even though his father and I do not get along whatsoever and he watched your mother be tortured without even trying to stop, let alone showing any expression of remorse now. I have treated that boy like he is another son to me and now I'm wondering if you've just taken my trust for granted. This is not what I expected of you." Ron took a deep breath, retracting his hand from the center of the table and placing it in his lap, eyes downwards. "But no matter what happens we all love each other. You, and you mother and brother and the most precious things to me in the world and I love all of you no matter what happens." A faint blush appeared on his cheeks as he said this.

Rose leapt to her feet and flung her arms around her father, engulfing him in a hug which he returned, tightly embracing her as if he never wanted to let her go.

"I don't want my little girl leaving me," he whispered.

"I'll always be your little girl, Dad."


	9. Chapter 9

Ginny was staring incredulously at her husband. Harry was glaring right back at her, on the defensive front yet again.

"How could you possibly Oblierate your best friend's memory?!" she thundered at him, stamping her foot in the process.

Harry desperately wanted to laugh as she did such a childish thing, but knew it was not the time for it at all. "He didn't need to know. It would only hurt him more."

"Oh, but he already did know! And you took that knowledge away from him!" shrieked Ginny, sounding rather like a banshee. Harry winced.

"It would've destroyed him!"

"It _is_ destroying Rose if it hasn't already!"

Harry sunk into the seat nearest to him, discovering too late that it was an uncomfortable antique chair that Ginny's great-aunt Muriel had sent over as a horrendous wedding present.

"I can't let him have to deal with something like that. Imagine if Lily was raped, Gin. Can you imagine how hard that'd be?" he whispered, shaking his head, eyes almost filled with frustrated tears. "It's safer for him, not knowing."

"I have imagined it since James said it; but can you think for one second how hard it'd be for Lily, if that had happened to her? It's hurt Rose more than the rest of us." Ginny kneeled down and sat on the ground next to Harry, reaching up to take one of his hands in her own. "When Hermione and I visited her in the hospital wing when we went to get her and Hugo, Scorpius came and visited before I got there while Hermione was just going into the hospital wing. She said that she'd seen him hug her and and that Rose'd gone all rigid, completely tensing up staring with wide eyes anywhere but at her best friend. Her best friend, Harry! Whatever that boy, York, did to her she can't even hug her best friend who she trusts so completely without being fearful. Do you really want to let him win and have her lock up her feelings completely?"

Harry shook his head. "Ginny, I know what you're saying. But it will kill him if he knows. He was completely distraught when I revived him – "

" – after you stunned him!"

"Yes, I remember that part. But he couldn't even form any words. He just sat in a slump against the counter on the ground, shaking, his head in between his knees. He was crying. When he finally began to talk he said things like how it was his fault, he kept asking why Rose wasn't strong enough to get away, what had he done so that she wasn't strong enough."

"It's not her fault," whispered Ginny, pulling Harry onto the floor with her and curling up into him. "It'll never be her fault."

Harry put an arm around Ginny and pulled her closer to him. "No, it won't. And it certainly isn't his either. So I used the Memory Charm, and erased the memory of James ever saying anything to him. It was to protect him."

Ginny paused for a moment before responding, deliberating in her head. "I know," she said finally, "it's okay."

* * *

"Now, Ron, you are not acting yourself right now. And neither is Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Victoire, Albus, or Rose. You are going to tell me right this second what that is about!" commanded Molly Weasley, forcefully.

It was about four in the morning and Mrs. Weasley had not been able to sleep. Hermione had taken Rose and Hugo home so that they could be awake enough to come back the next day at about mid-morning. Hugo was always in a sore mood with a short temper without enough sleep, so Hermione's decision had been extremely wise. Ron had stayed with his mum and kept her company willingly and placidly while she was asleep. But now that she was awake and pestering him, he was beginning to regret letting his wife and kids go home, not that he actually had any control over that in the first place.

"It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that you're sick, could it?" retorted Ron. He winced at the harshness of his words, but tried to ignore what he'd said.

"You and I both know that isn't true. Why were you, and a good amount of other people as well, glancing at Rose continuously throughout the entire time you were here. And I want to know the truth."

Ron looked despairingly at his mother. She was going to find out anyways, as was the rest of the family. He'd soon be known as a bad parent, the Weasley son who wasn't a good father like the rest of them.

"Rose, is, well, there's a problem. I guess. But maybe it'll all be okay in the end. But it won't. And I know it."

"You're being very cryptic, Ronald. And you're not making a lot of sense," Molly reprimanded him.

"Rose is pregnant."

His mum's look of shock was quickly replaced by irrational and ascending furiousness which then was replaced by a look of utter glee. "Claire will have someone to play with!"

Ron stared in horror at his mum, not understanding whatever the hell was going through her mind, but before he could get any words out, her eyes went wide and unfocused and she started shaking uncontrollably. A bit of foamy salivia was dribbling out of her mouth and her head flung back into the bed, lurching her body again. He stared, horrified, quickly jumping to the emergency button on the nightstand next to his mum's bed. "HELP! HELP! HEALER! ANYONE!"


	10. Chapter 10

_Dear Rose,_

_I'm sorry about your grandmother being in the hospital and I hope she is alright_

Scorpius angrily scratched out the beginning of the letter. He was never that formal. Though he was certainly furious enough with Rose to send her a letter that sounded as if someone else wrote it, he knew it would get him nowhere and would just infuriate her. But the previous attempts at writing a letter to Rose were uncensored, his rage and frustration ruthlessly evident in the writing.

Scorpius ran his hand through his hair, messing it up even more, something he always did when he was frustrated or thinking hard. The worst thing that had happened out of all of this mess was Rose crying. She never cried. She felt weak when she cried. "You don't have to be unbreakable as long as you act like it," Rose had once said to Scorpius. His heart had constricted painfully as she'd said that, suddenly feeling inexpressibly sad for Rose. She was the strongest person he'd ever known, but she was also the weakest. She didn't let people in. She bottled up all of her emotions and they continued to be packed inside of her, not enough space until eventually she just exploded with feeling, usually anger, unleashing it on everyone else, which consisted mostly of he and Albus. Rose knew it wasn't fair, and she always apologized after, but sometimes he just couldn't deal with it. Rose was closed off from everyone else. She had grown to be.

Scorpius remembered when Rose was the bubbly, energetic, happy, excited, optimistic girl he had met in first year. She had an enthusiasm for everything. She loved practically anything and everything she came across, always wanted to know more about it. Rose had always been laughing and smiling, generally enjoying everything. But in about the middle of fifth year, the night she had gotten drunk the first time, it all went to hell. He now knew it was because of York, but he hadn't then, and she had scared the hell out of him.

Rose had always been quick to defend someone. She stood up for anything she believed in, though, she had always had tact when doing so. But, after York, she was blunt and ruthless. She had always been reckless, but after York she became reckless to the point of it being dangerous, without even realizing it.

Scorpius crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it into the waste basket near the door of his room with the rest of the beginnings of letters to Rose.

He'd already sent a letter to Albus. He knew exactly what he wanted to say. It wasn't hard to say something to the best friend that you're not hopelessly in love with and who is not having your child while they aren't in love with you. Talking to Albus was easy, talking to Rose right then, wasn't.

Scorpius groaned in frustration and leaned back in his chair so that it went up on two legs.

He and Rose used to be able to say anything to each other, no matter what. They could confide their absolute deepest secrets and trust that nothing would be said to anyone else. Albus, Rose, and Scorpius had a great bond of immovable and non-alterable friendship that tied them closer than any other friends. Nothing could separate them. Nothing, apparently, except this.

Scorpius felt betrayed. He couldn't help it. He knew, rationally, that Rose not telling anyone about what York had done to her made sense. She had always kept secrets about herself and her problems, preferring to help other people with theirs. But Scorpius felt like she didn't trust him. He felt like he had deserved for Rose to tell him. That he had certainly proved his worth and friendship towards her.

Then, he felt even more dejected from what he had heard Rose telling her mum and aunt in the hospital wing. _It's probably best if the baby just doesn't have a father._ What the fucking hell?! Scorpius stood up abruptly and tossed the rickety desk over onto its side with one hand, upturning all of the items which had been previously placed precariously on the small table.

Did she think he wasn't good enough? Did she believe he would be a bad father? Or that he would abandon his kid, abort all responsibility, and flee from the people he cared about?

She had lied. Oh, she had lied about everything. She was a superb liar, he'd give her that. All those times when she was staring off into blank space, a frightened expression on her face, and he asked what was wrong and she just looked up at him, smiling perkily, telling him that nothing was wrong she was just spacing out for a second. And because she looked so happy, he had to believe her. It had never occurred to Scorpius that she'd lie to _him_. They were always the ones doing the lying to the other people, not each other. Definitely not each other. He'd never thought that her fake happiness would be directed at him. But he hadn't known for very long, only a few days, that it was a mask anymore. She was brilliant at hiding things from everyone else. But Scorpius didn't deserve to be treated like everyone else. He was her best friend.

What happened to trusting each other with anything? Everything? It was all thrown away, now, wasn't it?

"Mr. Malfoy! I must insist that you stop this rampaging nonsense at once!" Proffessor McGonagall's voice sounded from the common room and Scorpius looked up to find her in the doorway.

"Sorry, Professor," he said, quickly taking out his wand and repairing the damage.

"Well, then, we need to talk," she looked a bit flustered and she strolled over determinedly to the arm chair adjacent to the couch in the common room. Scorpius followed her over, practically groaning, knowing that whenever anyone said 'we need to talk' nothing good could ever come of it.

Scorpius settled himself on the couch next to the chair, seated upright and with good posture, his hands gripping the edge of the sofa. "Yes, Professor?" he tried to feign innocence, but Professor McGonagall had always been able to see right through anyone.

Her face suddenly took on a kind, motherly expression as she looked at Scorpius. "I'm sorry, Scorpius, I really am," she said, leaving no doubts as to what she was talking about.

All Scorpius could do was nod.

"She'll be back soon, I'm sure, and you can fix this. But, in the meantime, I need you to tell me about any recent changes in behavior from her. Rose was always one of the happiest students but my staff has recently reported to me that she has grown quite a bit more somber in recent years. It would be a great help if we knew why." Professor McGonagall again looked as if she was x-raying Scorpius, seeing straight into his mind, pulling out answers from the depths of his brain. His dad had said that a previous headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, had always given the impression of looking straight into your soul when he looked at you. Minerva McGonagall was apparently channeling Albus Dumbledore in that respect, currently.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but I can't do that. If she wanted you, or anyone else for that matter, to know then she would have told you," Scorpius said, his voice articulate and directly obeying an almost-order from the headmistress.

"Scorpius, I admire your loyalty, but this is a situation in which I must have information," the headmistress responded curtly. "We all just want to help," she said more softly.

"I'm sorry, but I doubt I can be of any assistance there."

"Scorpius, you and Rose have always been the brightest of students and have been incredibly kind and caring people. It is surprising to find that this isn't the case not during the day."

Scorpius rose to his feet almost instantly. "That is certainly not true! Are you saying that we are rude, insufferable, cruel people?"

"That is most definitely not what I am saying, Mr. Malfoy! And you'd remember well to respect others!" McGonagall rose to her full height, those quite a few inches shorter than Scorpius, still intimidating. "But you both seem to be quite irresponsible as what is being demonstrated now in the fact that you both are having a child at seventeen!"

"Why would you think it's my child? It could be anyone's!"

"Scorpius, you two may not see it, but everyone else does. All of the staff knows that you love her. She guards her own emotions well enough, but there have been flickers of feeling from her end too. The way you look at her says all. You'd be willing to die for her, do anything for her. She would do the same for you. And though I do not know directly if it is yours, I sure hope it is because you two would be the most wonderful parents together, I have no doubt. You two would put the child first and disregard your own ambitions for the benefit of the child. But I was coming here to say, that that is not necessary. There are ways of staying at Hogwarts and continuing your education while this is going on."

Scorpius took a few moments before responding. "Why would you want to have your two Head students become parents at seventeen, still in school, and help them with their mistake?"

"A child is not a mistake," Professor McGongall said firmly. "Especially for you two. You will be amazing parents," she smiled furtively at her young student, who was thoroughly daunted by the fact that he was going to be a father.

"Maybe she doesn't want me to be a parent," Scorpius said snidely. "Maybe she thinks it'd be better if the baby just doesn't have a father."

"She may think that now. Rose is scared, Scorpius. She doesn't know how to handle this, and her family with their tempers will contribute greatly to just how frightened she is. She is not going to be thinking clearly right now, and we all know that even when she is thinking clearly her decisions tend to be rash, reckless, and spur of the moment."

Scorpius smiled wistfully, knowing this to be too true, indeed.

"But we can help her, somehow. I promise that this school will certainly not let one of its brightest and most promising witches leave when there is the possibility of staying."

"But she won't like the idea of furthering her education and helping herself when she could be helping someone else: her baby."

"Maybe not, but we can always try," McGonagall said. She patted his shoulder and left the room.

Scorpius fell back onto the couch, desperate for Rose and Albus to return. He felt lonely without them, one-third of a trio. The silence of the common room pressed in on him from all sides. Usually he'd hear Rose tapping her quill while studying or jumping and moving about because she hated being still or yelling at him, reminding him to get ready for Quidditch practice. And at night, when it was extremely silent, he could sometimes hear her slow, even breathing. It would be hard to live without that.


	11. Chapter 11

Molly Weasley (the first) had been stabilized. Or, at least that's what the healer said when he came out to the waiting room entirely filled with Weasleys (and Potters). He said that they'd figured out her condition, spattergroit crossed with dragonpox, had been able to heal her, and would be good to go in two days of being under surveillance to make sure that everything was alright.

Even when Voldemort was gone, there wasn't as much rejoicing as there was in the waiting room right then.

Rose sunk into her chair with a sigh of relief and a huge, silly grin on her face. Albus plopped down next to her with an identical grin.

"So, Rosie, do you know what this means?"

"What?"

"We have to go back to school."

Rose laughed. "Scorpius is going to kill me."

"Well, Uncle Ron is going to kill Scorpius."

"Mom's going to kill Uncle Ron."

"Then Nana will kill Aunt Hermione."

"Muriel will kill Nana because she'll say that Nana brought disrespect or something on the family."

"And then Uncle George will kill Muriel because he's always wanted to."

Rose smiled. "She's an old hag."

"Remember when we set the dungbombs under her dining room table that year she decided it'd be a good idea to finally see her ginormous family for once?"

They laughed. "Yeah, and she said she never wanted to see us again. Uncle George was so proud. Said he and Uncle Fred did the same thing one year at Christmas, got her away for the rest of the Christmases."

"Kids! We're going to go say good-bye to Nana and then we've got to go. McGonagall called and said we've got to get you all back soon or the teachers are going to throw a few fits," Ginny called, ushering all of the kids still in school out of the door.

Rose quickly found Victoire and gave her a hug while Teddy leaned over and ruffled Rose's hair. "Take care, Squirt," he said, giving her a lopsided grin. Rose found it kind of funny how the people who were like her older sister and older brother had gotten married. It was ironic, at least.

"Bye, guys, see you soon."

* * *

Rose took a long look around her room. She wouldn't see it for another few weeks and then she'd be back for the winter holidays. It was rather neat, which always seemed to happen when she left for school and her mom barged in and cleaned the whole place thoroughly.

"You better get used to it. You're going to end up in here a lot for that baby," Hugo sneered from the doorframe, which he was leaning up against.

"Hugo it's none of your business!"

"Of course it is, my sister's knocked up at seventeen. It's kind of everyone's business. Besides, nothing is ever secret at Hogwarts. Everyone is going to know sooner or later."

"No they're not because no one is going to tell them," Rose said fiercely, striding over to where her infuriating little brother was standing.

"Well, don't you think that Louis or Fred might let it slip accidentally?"

"They left Hogwarts with James, two years ago, Hugo!"

"They could still manage it. I wouldn't be surprised. What about Lily, Albus, Molly, or Lucy?"

"Hugo, you know very well that there is only the six of us left at school. Victoire is married with a daughter, Dominique is engaged, Louis is a curse breaker in Egypt, Fred is working with his dad at the shop, James is a very talented Auror right now, and Roxanne is studying to become a healer. They're all gone. They've all moved on. No one cares about what happens at Hogwarts, Hugo!"

Hugo smiled sinisterly. "Oh, please Rose, everyone cares about what happens at Hogwarts."

"Well, you're not going to say anything."

"No, I'm not. But Nana's coming home tonight and we're all having a dinner together at the Burrow. Dad told Nana. So she told Grandpa, and everything's just going to snowball from there. Congratulations, sis. You've become the Weasley who was knocked up at seventeen and destroyed Nana's traditionalist views. James is going to kill you."

* * *

At first, everyone was extraordinarily happy about Molly being safe and sound and back at the Burrow and the joyfulness couldn't be surprised. Everyone was laughing and talking, telling jokes while the kids ran around inside and outside of the house. Food was served and everyone sat around the huge table laughing and telling stories.

Rose was bouncing Claire on her lap, helping to feed her while Lily made funny faces at Claire from across the table.

Supper plates were cleared from the table and Mrs. Weasley's fabulous apple pie was dished out in extremely small slices even though she had made four pies.

Soon, everyone was leaning back expertly in their seats and rubbing their bellies, complaining about how every time there was a family get together they gained at least eight pounds.

But, the happy and relaxed mood started to slip away quietly as the Weasley matriarch said, "Rose, you and Claire look so good. You'll be a great mother."

It could have been an innocent comment. But Molly hadn't said, "You'll be a great mother _someday_." Without the _someday_, it was a comment that scared a good portion of the table. Especially once they looked at Ron and Hermione and saw how the former was slumped in his seat with his hands over his face and how the later was firmly gripping the edge of the table, her knuckles turning white.

Arthur and Bill were the first to regain composure. "What's this, Rosie?" asked Arthur in a clam and steady voice though his shaking hands gave him away.

Rose focused determinedly on making Claire laugh, a feat quite easy for her. She tried to feign deafness but the tears welling up in her eyes were giving her away.

"Rose?" Bill said softly, leaning over from the far end of the table towards her.

Victoire, who was sitting next to Rose, gripped Rose's hand that wasn't currently holding up Claire. It was Victoire's signal for saying 'I'm here, don't worry'.

"Rose, god damnit, what the hell is going on?!" screeched Louis, his voice reaching a painful Veela height he must have inherited from his mother.

"Obviously she eez pregnant," Fleur said dismissively, waving her hand in the air.

Rose stood up in a sudden rush of movement, her chair tipping over behind her. She handed Claire to Victoire and left the Burrow.

It was a windy November night and the sound of the rustling leaves made her freeze on her way out to the wooden swing hanging from a tree almost at the edge of the property. She made her way there, but waiting for her was James, Harry, and her dad.

Rose tried to ignore them all and sat down on the swing, and started swinging as high as she possibly could. She liked the feeling of swinging; it made her feel like a young girl again. The tears started to leak out as she realized that she would soon have a young girl or boy to push on the swing.

"Rose, stop swinging for a second, please."

Rose looked down at her uncle Harry. He looked calm and placid. Her dad, next to him, looked frantic and miserable but with a determination on his face to get through this. His face had looked like that since he'd found out.

"Rose, please," murmured James.

Harry prodded his son a bit until James moved back inside, obviously unwanted by the two adults there right then.

Finally, Rose stopped swinging and came to a rest, her feet dangling above the ground, legs too short to reach the cool dirt beneath her.

"Come on, Rose," Ron led his daughter off of the swing and over to the wooden bench a few meters away. They settled down on it, Harry kicking a few garden gnomes off the bench into the bushes.

"Rose," Harry said. "No one thinks any less of you for this happening. We may be a little disappointed, but we're going to get through it and we all still love and care about you, and that's the important part. No matter what happens, we're all there for each other and that includes being there for you right now." Harry leaned down and kissed her forehead, then went back inside.

Ron and Rose sat in silence for awhile. Eventually Ron put his arm around his daughter and pulled her into his arms, letting her cry her tears into his embrace.

He rocked her back and forth, just letting her get out the tears. He hadn't seen her cry for a long time. It was something she needed to do every once in awhile and something she rarely ever did.

When Rose's tears subsided a bit Ron hugged her harder. "Honey, no matter what happens I will always love you. And so will everyone else. We take care of each other. That's what families do."

"You won't hurt Scorpius?" Rose's breathing was uneven and shaky, her words were chopped up and she couldn't get a sentence out without a hiccough.

Ron was silent for a bit. He finally sighed, relenting. "I won't hurt Scorpius intentionally. If I go a bit mad, I'm sure you will forgive me."

Rose nodded, not entirely trusting herself to speak.

"Ron, Mum wants you inside," Harry said, coming back outside to deliver the message. Ron nodded and gave Rose another quick hug, whispering that he'd be back soon and left her with Harry.

Harry took a seat down next to her. He was fidgeting with the hem of his Weasley sweater and looked very nervous. Finally he turned to face Rose, and in that moment, she knew. She knew that he knew what had happened with York. The look on his face was filled with pity and defiance. The tears that had just dried up in her eyes spilled back over. She wrapped her arms around herself in a feeble attempt to protect herself, from what she did not know.

Harry pulled her into his side, holding her. "Rose," he said. Her crying was quiet enough for him to be able to speak to her. "You need to tell your parents. You can trust them with anything, and that includes this. It's going to be hard, I know. But you need to do it. They'll understand. They'll help."

At this, Rose stood up and moved far away from Harry. "I don't _need_ help," she snarled, "I'm perfectly fine."

Rose marched away. She turned around for a second and called, "Tell James I'm extremely mad at him for saying anything," and then she vanished back inside the Burrow.

_Well,_ Harry mused, _that could've gone better._

* * *

Ron and Hermione left with their kids early from the family gathering. When they had left, Louis and Fred were about to go to Hogwarts and beat the living daylights out of any guy there until they found out who the father was, then beat that guy up even more. Albus had stayed extremely quiet, knowing exactly who the father was. James and Lily had a very good idea of who it was and had been conversing in whispers away from the rest of the family. Roxanne had just looked thunderstruck and Dominique was whining about how it was unfair that Rose was going to have a kid before her since she was the second oldest she should have kids second. Lucy was trying to convince her dad, Percy, that a teenage pregnancy in the family wasn't so bad while Molly and her mom looked warily around the room, calculating everyone's reactions. Bill was lecturing Fleur about handling the situation so indelicately and Charlie, Teddy, Victoire, and Claire were talking about happier things in the corner. Charlie wasn't married and didn't have any kids so he, along with George, was always the 'fun uncle'. Currently, he was trying not to express his views on one of his nieces making a not-so-good decision. Everyone else was in argumentative discussion with Molly and Arthur, most likely disagreeing with Molly's views on how Rose should be marrying whoever the father was.

Needless to say, Rose was extremely glad to be out of there. She settled into her bed with a book and tons of blankets on top of her. As she was turning out the let and settling in to go to sleep, Hermione came into her room and seated herself on Rose's bed.

"Hey, honey, sorry about everyone's reactions at dinner tonight. It was kind of a mess." Hermione reached over and moved a piece of Rose's hair out of her eye. "Rosie, there's something that's been bugging me a bit."

"What's that, Mum?"

"Well, we found out you were – pregnant – from the school," Hermione looked a bit lost. "Would you have told us if we hadn't found out? Or would you have just run away or something?"

Rose was taken aback. That plan had, in fact, run through her head only that day when York had shot the spell at her. But she'd dismissed the plan as quickly as she'd thought of it. She couldn't bear to be away from her family.

"Mum, do want my honest answer?" Hermione nodded fervently, worry in her eyes.

Rose sighed. "I thought about it. But only for a second, I promise. I wouldn't be able to be away from all of you. I love you too much."

Hermione leaned over and crushed her daughter in a very tight hug. "Oh, honey, that makes me feel so much better." She leaned back but still had her arms wrapped around Rose. "You can tell your father and me anything, you know that right?"

Rose bit her lip. The words were stumbling into her mouth from her brain. If she let her mouth open, the words would come tumbling out. _I was raped, Mum._ It would destroy her. It'd destroy her family. Rose couldn't let her family fall apart while she could protect them.

"I know, Mum," she said, smiling, then hugging her mother once more.

"You're going back to school tomorrow. Everything packed?" At once Hermione was all business again.

"I didn't take anything, Mum."

"Right. Well, I'm coming with you. I have to discuss a few things with Professor McGonagall, but you won't see me after my meeting with her."

"Okay, Mum. G'night."

"Night, sweetie." Hermione leaned over and planted a kiss on her daughter's forehead before venturing off into her son's room to wish him goodnight as well.

Rose fell back against the pillow and sighed. Her family was too loving and caring and kind. It made keeping secrets really hard.


	12. Chapter 12

Rose, along with the rest of her cousins and brother, arrived quietly on Thursday afternoon, the day before Halloween and Rose's birthday.

They all bumbled along to the Gryffindor tower, except for Rose who ventured to the Heads' tower, to unpack the belongings they hadn't taken anywhere. It was much easier to say that they needed to unpack rather than that they didn't want to go to class.

Rose meandered along the hallways towards the Heads' dormitories. She had missed quite a few days of quidditch practice, but she wasn't sure how the practices had continued anyways because Albus was the captain and had been gone as well.

The portrait opened up and allowed her inside the dorms where she was greeted not by the emptiness and silence of Scorpius at class, but by Scorpius himself, laying on the couch out cold.

Rose smiled a bit to herself. Scorpius looked so peaceful and naïve when he was asleep. He lost the cocky aura and worry lines on his brow, making him appear very young. She walked over and kneeled down beside him on the couch. "Scorpius," she whispered, her hand brushing his arm. He was usually a very light sleeper; he almost had to be because of Rose sleepwalking.

Sure enough, he jerked awake, startled, and looked around wildly until his gaze landed on Rose. His face broke into an uncontained grin and he jumped up, picked Rose up, and swung her around in the air. "Rose!"

Rose's laughs filled the air and she forgot about all of the problems plaguing her. It felt like they were back in third year when Scorpius had done this exact same thing to her. They had been at quidditch practice and he'd hit her with another bludger to her knee, accidentally. Her knees had always been weak and with the impact of the black sphere it had cracked. She'd cried out in pain and fallen off her broom from at least thirty feet, it seemed. Rose had been knocked completely unconscious and Albus had carried her to the hospital wing. When Madam Pomfrey had fixed up her knee and revived her, she and Albus had returned to the quidditch pitch to finish practice and Scorpius had swung her around just like he was doing now. He did this when he was so overcome with joy he couldn't contain it.

"Hi, Scorp, I missed you too," Rose laughed.

Scorpius finally put her down but he didn't let go of her. Instead, he pulled her onto the couch with him. "How'd it go?"

Rose shrugged. "Nana's fine. She's feeling completely better and the healers healed her up perfectly. Everyone's so relieved that she's alright." Rose's face lighted up suddenly. "And I got to see Claire and Victoire! And Teddy," she tacked on afterwards.

"It's amazing how you always forget Teddy when Claire is mentioned," Scorpius laughed. He knew how great she was with kids and how much she liked them, it was just another reason why he thought she'd be a great mother.

Rose laughed with him. "I just can't help it! She's so cute and sweet and she has the funniest laugh. She'll kind of gurgle and clap her hands together and her eyes will go really wide and get this sparkle and her mouth will open up really wide so you can see all of the teeth that are growing in and – " Rose stopped, a blush creeping up on her cheeks. "I'm rambling again aren't I?"

Scorpius nodded, a smile stuck to his face still. "But you're so cute when you ramble!" Rose blushed a deeper red and Scorpius's smile grew wider. That smile hadn't left his face since Rose had woken him up.

But his smile faded as he thought of a more pressing matter; judging by the look on Rose's face, she was thinking of it, too. "So, erm," he cleared his throat, "how did your family take it?"

Rose was silent for a few moments. "They were all pretty much ready to kill you, even though most don't know it was you, except for Nana. My mum and Aunt Ginny were fine after a little bit, but I know my mum's completely disappointed. She hides it pretty well, though. Victoire was almost, kind of, excited, I think." Rose frowned. "It was weird. Like she was expecting it or something."

"Well, Victoire was always like that," Scorpius agreed. "What did your nana say?"

"Well, before we left, she was talking about our wedding. You know her, very traditional. She must've been appalled at the fact that I'd slept with someone before marriage. I think she's planning the wedding for just after we graduate," Rose laughed. "I think it's a bit cruel of me to want to see her face when I tell her that we're not getting married. She really wants us to get married, even though I don't want to."

"Why not?" The words were out of Scorpius's mouth before he could stop them. He looked at Rose in horror, the same emotion reciprocated on her face as well.

"Scorpius, we're not in love. Both people have to love each other to be in love and able to get married. You shouldn't get married if you're not in love," her words stumbled on their way out of her mouth.

Rose was trying to provide a reasonable answer, but it aggravated Scorpius. "People do it all the time! Besides, you don't even believe in love! You're like that guy in the muggle movie we saw! Ghosts of Girlfriends Past! You're Connor Mead!"

Rose gaped up in hurt astonishment at her best friend. He'd basically just called her an unloving whore. "Excuse me?" she said acidly.

Scorpius backpedaled as fast he possibly could. "That's…that's not what I meant."

"Oh, really?" They'd risen from the couch and Rose was walking towards Scorpius as he was backing away.

"I…I…" Scorpius had lost all coherent sense. He had no idea what he was supposed to say. He hadn't meant that she was a scarlet woman who slept around without caring about anyone, but she certainly had voiced the opinion determinedly that she didn't believe in love, just like the character in the movie. All of a sudden, he regained the knowledge of how to fight back. "How do you even know that its mine? It's not like I'm the only guy you've ever slept with," he snarled. "Who shags their best friend anyways? How does that _not_ create problems in the friendship?"

Rose's eyes were full of tears and Scorpius knew he was digging his grave deeper and shoving his foot farther into his mouth, but he couldn't stop. It felt too good to know that he was finally hurting her a small fraction of how much she'd hurt him over the years. But at the same time, he was feeling all of her hurt which made him almost miserable. Scorpius had his back against the wall, both literally and figuratively, with Rose practically on top of him she was so angry and upset.

"You don't have any right to say any of that! You've slept with plenty of people! And you're the best friend in that situation, so you obviously are in on it too!" Rose shrieked, tears dribbling out of her eyes and down her face. She was biting her lip nervously, and all of a sudden, Scorpius found himself kissing her with a passion with which he'd never kissed anyone before. He flipped their positions so her back was against the wall and he leaned down and angled his head to kiss her better. Her lips were salty from her tears but soft and responding to his lips which were pushing so fiercely against her own.

He pressed himself against her, not wanting to forget the feel of her body against his, kissing him back. Didn't that mean something, that she was kissing him back just as much? Or was it just lust, the comfort of meaningless snogging between friends?

Her lips parted slightly and that was all of the invitation he needed. He poked his tongue in and ran it on her teeth and then teased her tongue with his. His hands were sliding up her back underneath her shirt and holding her closer to him. Her hands were tightly embedded in his unruly hair, pulling him closer to her. Scorpius felt a warm glow of happiness inside him: she wanted him, too.

But it was over far too soon.

Rose pulled back, gasping, tears falling out of her eyes, "What the hell was that?!" she cried, wiping her eyes on the sleeves of her robes.

Scorpius didn't answer, he stared at his best friend, wishing he could pull her into his arms and hug her, scaring away all of her fears like he used to. But if he did that now, it would only make matters worse.

"Rose, I – "

"No! Get away from me!" she sobbed, and bolted into her room, flinging the door shut behind her.

Scorpius groaned and flopped down on the couch.

Why couldn't he ever do anything right?


	13. Chapter 13

Rounds of patrol at one o'clock in the morning were sometimes unavoidable, but completely awful to Rose when Scorpius decided that he was going to be anti-social, avoid her, and skip out on patrol for the third time that week.

It was becoming problematic.

The Head Girl and Boy were supposed to patrol down in the dungeons and up in the towers after midnight for a bit, supposedly because they needed less sleep than the other prefects. so they could take those rounds. What a load of rubbish.

Rose was currently patrolling the seventh floor and had just reached the base of the Astronomy Tower when she heard the noise.

It was a scratching, tapping sound, coming from the tower. Rose took a deep breath and tried to get rid of the urge to flee, sprint off in the opposite direction and not slow down until she was safely in her bed in her dormitory. Instead, Rose started climbing up the spiraling staircase to the top of the tower, hoping to find a few rats at the most. Her reckless nature pushed her to puruse the unknown right then, though she didn't realize it and thought she was just doing her duty as Head Girl.

The stones under her feet didn't echo under her carefully silenced footsteps. Stealth was usually a good thing, but really, what did Rose have to be afraid of? What could honestly hurt her? The dark was just a glow pressed on everything when the sun when down, just like light cast a glow on everything as well. It was just a more eerie glow at night. At least, that was what she was always trying to convince herself.

Rose reached the top of the stairs and poked her head around the large wooden door. She spotted no one except for an oddly shaped shadow in the corner near the stack of extra telescopes students could borrow during class in case they forgot theirs.

"Oi, you, what're you doing up here? Do you know what time it is?" Rose tried to keep her voice from betraying any fear, but she felt like she did a pitiful job of that. Were was her courage, she wondered. Weren't Gryffindors supposed to be brave?

The shadow turned around and instead of a grotesquely distorted monster, she saw a student. Rose breathed a sigh of relief. That is, until the student whipped out their wand and slammed the door to the stairs shut and locking it, leaving them both inside the top part of the tower.

"Hey!" she cried indignantly. "I am Head Girl and you will open that door right now and get your butt back to your tower or I will bring you to the Headmistress myself!"

"Petrificus totalis!" the voice cried and Rose felt all of her limbs instantly lock and she fell to the ground, petrified.

The person stepped out of the shadows into the sliver of moonlight and Rose wanted to curse whoever was running her life who thought it was insanely hilarious to put her in these situations. Who else but Trayson York, could be the one to aid said person?

"Miss me, Rosie?" his smile taunted her.

She tried to speak, but was unable to move any muscle in her body. She was stuck, immobile, unless someone else moved her or removed the spell.

"I knew you would. This time I made sure you couldn't make a sound, you always were a screamer."

Rose, though irrational it was, wanted to roll her eyes at his lie. His words weren't making any sense in her mind. She was trying to concentrate to remove the binding spell nonverbally without her wand. She was a great and powerful witch, but not nearly practiced enough for such spells. She wasn't even sure of the possibility that they existed.

York moved over to her and sat down atop her, straddling her waist. "You missed me, I know you did," he crooned, dripping a finger lazily down the side of her face. Rose wanted to shiver from the contact.

Suddenly, the realization gripped her wholly. Fear installed and rooted itself deep within her. He was going to do it again. Rose's eyes opened wide, taking everything in. His taunting smirk, his hair dripping down, hanging like a curtain, from how he was leaning closer to her, his eyes bright with excitement. Rose remembered how he used to seem a bit cute, smart, funny, charming, happy, _nice_. It couldn't be the same person. They were nothing alike.

York pressed his lips to hers and bile rose up in Rose's throat from her disgust and contempt for the boy currently sitting on her.

He pulled back, frowning. "This is no fun without any reaction from you." York whispered the counter curse and Rose's limbs became renewed with their reinstalled energy. She immediately began struggling away, but York's legs pressed onto her, forbidding her escape.

He jabbed his wand at her throat, stopping her movements. York leaned down so that his mouth was against Rose's ear. "You will do everything I say," he whispered, "or I hurt your friends and family."

Rose froze. He wouldn't. Would he?

"And I'll start with Scorpius."

He would.

Rose nodded. She understood. She wasn't going to let anyone get hurt when she could stop it, no matter what she'd have to go through and endure to keep them safe. She'd do anything for the people she cared about. Rose wondered if they knew just what 'anything' consisted of sometimes.

A sinister grin planted itself of York's face. "Kiss me," he ordered, and pressed his lips to hers once more.

At first, she refused to respond, but York jabbed his wand more forcefully into her throat and she kissed him back, reminding herself fiercely that it was all for her family, all for Scorpius.

York unfastened her cloak and removed the material from her. He unbuttoned her shirt, exposing her skin to the cold air. She gasped at the wind, York taking it as a sign of pleasure. "I knew you wanted me," he whispered, moving his hands down her shoulders to her chest. "Respond," he ordered before moving his lips back to hers.

Rose kissed him back, matched every other one of his groans for a moan, arched her back against him, all the while tears streaming down her face out of her squeezed shut eyelids. She didn't want to see this. She might have to experience this, but she didn't ever want to see it again. James wasn't coming to save her. No one was. He could do whatever he wanted without the fear of interruption. She was all alone.

His hands were groping her, moving all over her chest and up her legs, underneath her skirt, almost succeeding in pulling her knickers down, when he froze. One of his hands was hooked on her the edge of her knickers, already slightly pulled down, and his other hand was resting on her lower stomach.

"You gained some weight, Weasley?" he asked, fingering her abdomen. Rose's eyes widened farther in fright, realizing what he was enlightening himself on.

His face was screwed up in contemplation. He was noticing how her stomach was rounded, abs still evident and apparent, her stomach tight and muscular, not covered in a layer of flab, but rounded and larger, nonetheless. His face became alight with realization. "You up the duff, Weasley? Knocked up? Going to pop out a baby someday soon?"

Rose couldn't answer. She couldn't move. All she could do was stare as her secret exploded.

York jumped off of her. Rose lay motionless on the cold stone floor, frozen in fear. "Go," he said to her. "Go!" Rose jumped up, running for the door. "Wait," he called, ordering her to a halt, "I didn't get what I wanted from you. You thought you were doing something by protecting them? Think again. I'm still going to hurt them, until you come to me of your own free will. I'll be waiting."

Rose yanked the door open and fled down the stairs, her tears blinding her vision. She sprinted through the school, not bothering to stop and re-button the buttons on her shirt which was wide open nor to fasten her cloak about her, fix her knickers, or zip her skirt up. She ran. While she ran, she became conscious of the fact that her tights were laying in scraps in the Astronomy Tower with her shoes.

Her bare feet slapped against the stone floors as she barreled past the gargoyle signaling the entrance to Professor McGonagall's office.

Rose ran into the Heads' dormitory and collapsed on the floor just beyond the entrance. Her sobs echoed in the room, and she made no effort to calm them.

Nothing was ever going to be right or normal. She'd thought she was saving the people she cared about. But she hadn't saved them. Instead, her secret had been blown and she had to pay up to keep everyone safe, excluding herself and the child.

Footsteps on the carpeting didn't deter the cries she was making. Sobs wracked at her body, leaving her gasping for breath. Rose didn't notice the arms snaking their way around her, picking her up and cradling her. She didn't notice how she'd been deposited in someone's lap who was sitting on the couch. She didn't notice how she'd buried her head in the person's chest or curled up into them.

"Rose," the voice whispered, "tell me what's wrong." The person's voice cracked at the end; anger, hurt, and worry evident in the voice.

Rose's crying upscaled. She was aware then, of how she was soaking the shirt of her best friend who had picked her up off the ground and was cradling her in his arms.

Scorpius, on the other hand, seemed to have just picked up on his best friend's appearance. Her shirt was carelessly open, some buttons missing and the edges torn and frayed. Her bra was slightly torn at the center and displaced so that it revealed an ample amount. Her tights and shoes were missing, her hair was disheveled and her lips swollen. A few streaks of dirt ran alongside harsh streaks of red and white that could've only come from a person's nails. Scorpius growled. The obviousness of what had happened was apparent. He gripped Rose tighter, afraid that he was holding her together in his arms, preventing her from breaking into a thousand pieces.

Rose's tears subsided a bit, and she griped harder onto Scorpius.

"Rosie, what happened?" Scorpius asked, thinking it would be cathardic for her if she told him.

"Nothing," she mumbled, her voice scratchy and hoarse.

"That is complete bullshit."

Rose shook her head against him. Scorpius tightened his arms around her.

"I promise, that whatever it is, I will help you through it. We will get through it together."

"I can't," she sobbed. "He said he'd hurt you if I didn't come to him soon. He'd hurt you and Albus and Lily and Hugo and - " Rose was devoured into a coughing fit all of a sudden.

Scorpius tensed up. Someone was threatening her so that she'd go along with what they were doing to her.

"Who was it?" he growled.

"York."

"Did he do it…again?"

"No," she buried her face into his chest, clasping her arms around him. "Almost, but no."

"What'd he do?"

"He…he…he petrified me and started but he said th-that he wa-wanted a reaction and s-so he undid the spell and pointed his wand at my throat a-and s-said that I h-had to do everything he said or he'd hurt my friends and f-family and he'd st-art with you. And he or-ordered me what to d-do and I did it because I didn't want any of you getting hurt when I could do something about it. And he did what he did before, but when he was pulling my knickers off he suddenly stopped because his other hand was on my stomach and he felt the b-bump. A-and he said how he knew, and he told me to go, but that he'd h-hurt all of you if I didn't come t-to him of my 'own free will' he said."

"That's it, Rose, we're telling you're family," Scorpius said, resolved in his will. Something had to be done. Who better to do it than a family like the Weasleys?

"No!" she cried. "It'll break them! I can't do that to them! A pregnant teenager in the family is enough, not one that was…was…was…"

"Raped," Scorpius said harshly. "Rose, I love you, I really do, but you need help. I'm not going to stand by and watch this bastard son-of-a-bitch destroy you!"

"He's not destroying me! Nothing is wrong with me! I don't need any help! I am perfectly capable of dealing with anything on my own without anyone else's help!"

Scorpius looked pityingly down at his best friend whose face was stained with tear tracks. "Rose, you are not strong enough. Not right now."

Rose didn't answer for a moment. "Get away from me," she growled, narrowing her red rimmed eyes. She stood up and bolted into her room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Scorpius stared at the closed door, feeling like it symbolized everything in their relationship.

What could he do? He had to help her. Somehow, some way, any way…

Scorpius stood up. He stormed out of the portrait hole and to Professor McGonagall's office. _I'm sorry, Rose, but I have to do this. Whether you hate me for it or not, you need help and I'm the only one who can give it to you right now._


	14. Chapter 14

Scorpius took a deep breath and knocked on the Headmistress's door. It was in the middle of the night, surely she couldn't be awake?

But she was; for the door opened slowly, revealing Professor McGonagall in the legendary tartan dressing gown, looking severely disapproving at her Head Boy. "Mr. Malfoy," she drawled, "to what do I owe this _very_ late visit?"

"It's Rose, ma'am," he said nervously, spewing his words out.

McGonagall looked startled and ushered him in at once. "Please, have a seat."

Scorpius sat down in one of the chairs across from McGonagall's desk and she was seated as well.

"What is the matter?"

Scorpius found he couldn't stand anymore. He began pacing behind the chairs, the story tumbling out of his mouth since the middle of fifth year up to the present day, excluding most of the events that had occurred in which they had partaken in most likely illicit activities as well as Trayson York's name. As he finished, he looked up with desperation at Professor McGonagall. "Help her, please," he pleaded, his voice breaking at the end.

Professor McGonagall sat in silence, utter astonishment. Scorpius couldn't help but be a bit confused. He had never, not once, seen his professor at a loss for words. He thought that she'd magically have the answer, fixing everything at a moment's notice and that it would all go back perfectly to the way it was before.

"You say that she did not tell you? James Potter told you?" McGonagall asked as she regained the ability to speak.

"Yes," Scorpius nodded, sitting back down in a chair.

McGonagall sighed. Scorpius had never seen her look her age until then. She'd always appeared relatively youthful, never aging. It was as if she'd just appeared in the world as Transfiguration teacher in her sixties and then the Headmistress. He realized with a start that she couldn't possibly be in her sixties; his grandfather had had her as a professor.

"Scorpius, Rose obviously did not want anyone to know."

"Yes, I've come to that conclusion already," he said dryly.

The glare she sent his way quit him from further quips. "Scorpius, you are one of the people in this school who knows Rose better than anyone. You know how much her pride is to her. She has always been happy and full of life. The fact alone that she did not get herself out of the situation in the first place makes her feel inferior, weak, when she is anything but." The Headmistress took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes out of weariness. She was immediately exhausted and wrenched of all energy the moment Scorpius had finished his tale. Rose was one of her favorite students; to hear about such things happening to her was to hear about such things happening to her niece or granddaughter, the way Professor McGonagall viewed it. "I will tell her parents. They will want to know, even if it hurts them. They will help Rose no matter what they feel. But they are not here, and you and Albus Potter must help her now."

"Albus doesn't know, Professor."

"Tell him."

"I can't do that."

"And why not?" asked McGonagall exasperatedly. "She is your best friend! It will help her!"

"It will hurt her, also. Rose absolutely hates to be pitied and that is exactly what Albus will do!"

"She needs you two. If she feels a bit uncomfortable because of it, so be it. It will help her, him knowing. Maybe she will want to feel that she isn't so alone in the world."

"Fine," Scorpius muttered begrudgingly. Suddenly, a spark of inspiration caught him. "Can we obliviate the memories?" he asked excitedly. It was brilliant. It would save Rose from ever having to carry such a burden on her shoulders ever again. She would be free from the pain and misery; infinitely happier.

"No. It is not only dishonest, but it is also cheating," Porfessor McGonagall crushed his brilliance in one fell swoop.

"How is it cheating to get rid of the worst parts of her life? How is it dishonest to save her and help her?" cried Scorpius, rising from his seat.

"She must come to terms with it on her own," McGonagall said, rising also. She turned quickly back to the portrait hanging over the desk where an old man with a long white beard was pictured; Scorpius knew him as Albus Dumbledore, Albus Potter's namesake. It seemed McGonagall was looking for confirmation that she had done the right thing, for Dumbledore inclined his head slightly and she turned forcefully back to look at Scorpius. "We will get her through this, but not if we don't work together."

* * *

Minerva McGonagall stood on the front porch of Ron and Hermione Weasley's home, nervously wringing her hands together. How do you tell a loving mother and father that their only daughter has been cruelly, inhumanely harmed? Possibly multiple times?

Minerva knocked quickly thrice on the door. Muffled voices came from inside that sounded like the inhabitants were arguing over who should get the door. Minerva smiled wryly, they still hadn't changed.

Ron Weasley opened the door, a befuddled expression on his face. "Professor McGonagall…er…hi, come in." Ron ushered his old professor through the door, rubbing the back of his neck and try to tame his bed-head hair.

"To what do we owe this very late surprise?" Ron asked once Hermione had joined them downstairs and they were all seated in the living room drinking hot cups of tea.

Minerva looked up at two of her past students, favorites of hers from a long while ago. "Something has happened to Rose…"

* * *

It is excruciating, thought Minerva, telling parents that their daughter was raped. Even more so, because of who those parents are.

The walk back up to the castle from Hogsmeade was particularly long that evening. Minerva McGonagall had had a drink at the Three Broomsticks after she'd delivered the news and left the couple to console each other without her awkwardly sitting in their home as the bearer of bad news.

A strong girl like Rose Weasley being taken advantage of, mused the professor. It was odd. Minerva had always assumed Miss Weasley would be one to get away from that and leave the offender off much worse. It only showed her how she didn't think she knew her students as well as she thought she did. What else did she not know?


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks everyone so much for all of the reviews and for reading!! **

Christmas break had not been the jolly affair as it usually was in the Weasley household, so far. Rose's parents kept giving her pitying looks at odd intervals, and she caught them more than once conversing in hushed tones in the middle of the night as she went down for a snack. But contrary to the usual, when they saw her they immediately shut up instead of including her in the conversation like they had done numerous other times.

Rose kept wondering if Scorpius had said something. But she had trusted him not to, and he'd always proved himself trustworthy before, so she couldn't bring herself to mistrust _him_.

One morning, the day before Christmas, the Potters and the Lupins all came over for a bit of a celebration, of what Rose wasn't quite so sure.

Harry, Ron, Ginny, James, and Teddy were all engaging in a fierce drinking game at the kitchen table with Hermione looking on disapprovingly while holding Claire on her hip. Albus and Hugo were pleading to be allowed but James kept saying that they weren't of age yet and therefore couldn't.

Rose, Lily, and Victoire had hidden themselves upstairs in Rose's room with a bottle of firewhisky that Lily had solely commanded saying that it was her job to be the drunken one because he parents wouldn't notice (Rose) and she didn't have to take care of a daughter and husband (Victoire).

Hugo called them all down with a booming yell to watch the clock and ring in Christmas. The girls clambered downstairs and situated themselves to watch the people who had been drinking make fools of themselves.

Ginny was an exceptional drunk and held her liquor quite well up until a certain point, but she was always fabulously entertaining when drunk so no one minded, except Nana Weasley. Ginny was proving this tonight by swing dancing with a drunk James in the middle of the living room calling out American western sayings that she'd heard from movies Harry had introduced her to.

Harry and Ron had drank themselves under the table in an effort to outdo each other and were currently lying passed out underneath the aforementioned dining room table.

Teddy had grabbed Victoire, who had given Claire to Rose to hold onto, and began to interweave between Ginny and James, trading partners off every once in awhile. Rose wasn't sure that they were actually drunk at all, seeing as how they sometimes did activities like this. Though, it was much more fun with all of the booze.

But, Albus had a knack for ruining perfect, happy moments. He settled down beside Rose and whispered, "What did you do to Scorpius?"

Albus also had a knack for underestimating tempers, though he himself had a flaming and fiery one.

"Excuse me," said Rose, acidly. "What the heck do you mean?"

"A few days before break he just started acting all weird, and so did you. Plus, you started avoiding each other."

"Oh, please, Albus," Rose scoffed. "If you got all worried over every time we have a fight and start avoiding each other then you would have to be shipped off to the mental ward in St. Mungo's."

"Aha! So you admit you two had a fight!"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Really, Al, don't you have anything better to do?"

"What is with you? You're not even really arguing or fighting with me?"

"Nothing is _with_ me, Al," said Rose.

"Sure could've fooled me," Lily jumped in, taking a seat on Rose's other side. "I mean," she leaned over and patted Rose's stomach.

"Lily," Rose hissed, "don't do that again if you know what's good for you. I love you, but touch my stomach again and you will regret it."

Lily's booming laugh filled the room as it tumbled out of her mouth. "Sure, Rose, sure."

"I wouldn't test her on that right now," Albus said. "It seems that she and Scorpius are fighting again."

"Again? That is the billionth time so far this year."

"They're always fighting."

"We are not!" Rose interrupted haughtily. "And when you've finished discussing my life like I'm not even here – "

"Oh, but Rose, how could we ever do that? We love you too much," Lily fake swooned.

Rose stood up, adjusted Claire on her hip, and strode off to join her mum who was watching the erratic dancing.

"Hey, honey," Hermione greeted her daughter as Rose sat down beside her. "Do you enjoy watching our family make fools out of themselves as much as I do?" she laughed.

Rose smiled. "Who wouldn't? Uncle Harry and Dad always end up passed out."

"Of course they do. They could hold their liquor much better when they were younger, trust me," Hermione smiled, reminiscing.

"Aunt Ginny seems to hold her liquor the best. She's had the most to drink and still isn't as insanely drunk as Teddy or James."

"Were you there when Teddy and James snuck that bottle of firewhisky into the Burrow one Christmas and got insanely drunk, but it was so funny that no one punished them at all? Well, except for Nana Weasley." Hermione laughed, throwing her head back, making Rose wonder if her mum had had anything to drink. "We have so many pictures of that. It's quite hilarious to see James doing pirouettes in his underwear from the couch to on top of the television set while Teddy tried to kiss Victoire with rainbow hair in the background"

Rose giggled, shaking a bit and waking Claire up, who immediately didn't recognize where she was.

"Mummy!" she wailed, reaching for Victoire.

Rose held her tighter and rocked her; sufficiently calming her down for Victoire to realize what was happening and hold her daughter.

"I think it's time we head home," Victoire said, rocking Claire. "Besides, I need to get Teddy into bed; he's going to have an awful headache in the morning." Victoire glanced over at her husband who was dancing solo, almost knocking into one of the many bookshelves.

"Alright, honey," Hermione stood up and hugged her niece. "We'll see you tomorrow at the Burrow."

Victoire, Teddy, and Claire were the first to leave, followed by the Potters. Hugs and kisses were given out as everyone flooed out. James tried to apparate but Albus and Lily pushed their brother and parents into the fireplace, laughingly saying that they'd splinch themselves into nonexistence if they tried to apparate drunk.

After everyone left, Hermione levitated Ron up to bed. "Go to sleep, you two," Hermione said to Hugo and Rose on her way up the stairs. "We all need to be awake and sober for tomorrow or Nana will have our heads."

Hugo and Rose dutifully trooped up the stairs and into their rooms. Rose, falling fast asleep the second her head hit the pillow.

* * *

_"Rose, Rose," Scorpius called. "Come on, climb the tree, she wants you to!"_

_I looked dauntingly up at the towering maple, the tree house nestled in the branches and a wooden swing hanging from one of the lower limbs._

_"Come on, Rose, do it if you love me!" Scorpius spread his arms open wide, a grin highlighting his face, so bright I could see his happiness from down on the ground._

_"Of course I'll do it now!" I cried up to him jokingly to him, running at the tree and setting my bare feet in the footholds and lifting myself up with the branches above me._

_"You can climb faster than that!"_

_I struggled and climbed higher, my sundress getting in the way of my eagerness to reach him. Finally I reached the tree house and Scorpius pulled me up._

_"Aw, finally, she reaches the top!" he cried, picking me up and twirling me around, my delighted cries striking the air._

_"Shh," he shushed me and pointed to a small cradle in the corner. "She's sleeping."_

_"Oh, you got her to sleep? Clever Scorpius," I crooned jokingly, leaning up and kissing him._

_"I know, I'm brilliant."_

_"You are, it's true."_

_"Come on, we better wake her up, it's almost time to go." The sun had disappeared completely behind the horizon._

_I walked over to the cradle and picked up the girl, handing her off to Scorpius._

_"Hi, honey, wakey wakey," he said, tickling her._

_The girl's laugh was so familiar. Tiny peals of bells with gurgles and giggles. I turned over and saw Claire, held in Scorpius's arms, but older. She looked over and saw me, calling, "Mummy!" reaching out to me._

Rose woke up, hand over her heart, breathing heavily. What the heck?


	16. Chapter 16

"Al, we need to talk," Scorpius pulled Albus into a deserted compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Everyone was headed back to Hogwarts after the holidays.

"What's going on Scorp? You're acting kind of, well, really odd," Albus leaned against the shut door of the compartment.

"You're going to want to take a seat, Al. I need to tell you something," Scorpius ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He couldn't do this. But he had to. But Rose would kill him. Oh, _fuck._

"Okay…" Al took a seat and stared expectantly and oddly up at his best friend who was pacing back and forth in the tiny space in the compartment.

"I need to tell you something."

"You said that already."

"Right," Scorpius waved Albus's sarcastic remark away, too preoccupied to notice. "It's about Rose. Something happened to her, in fifth year, something bad."

"Does this have anything to do why her personality practically half changed then?" asked Albus, his interest captured. He leaned forward a bit to hear what was hopefully a good explanation better. He was very worried about Rose.

Scorpius nodded. "You're not going to like it. And she's going to kill me for telling you."

"Wait, she told you but not me?" Albus asked, obviously hurt.

"No, James told me."

"She told James?"

"No, he found her after it happened."

"_What_ happened?"

Scorpius took a deep breath. "Rose was raped in fifth year, Al."

Albus paled to the color of a snowflake. His eyes were round as saucers. "No," he whispered. "No, no, no that didn't happen. It couldn't. It just couldn't."

Scorpius nodded. "And the guy who did it to her has tried to do it again multiple times."

"Why didn't you stop him?!" he cried outraged, standing up. Then suddenly his face changed and he grabbed Scorpius's robes. "Who is he? Who is he?" he shouted, his face the face of a madman.

"Trayson York," Scorpius replied bitterly, not realizing the consequences of what he just said.

Albus fled the compartment and stormed down the train, opening every compartment and slamming the door shut if he didn't find who he was looking for. Suddenly, he spotted him. Scorpius was sprinting down the corridor after Al but he didn't get there in time.

Albus grabbed York by the neck of his robes and hoisted him out of the compartment and into the hallway. He punched him too many times to count. York's face was bloody and he looked like he was about to pass out. Albus continued to beat him up, hurling insults, his extreme rage fueling every blow. Finally, Scorpius reached them.

"Al, stop!" he shouted, trying to pull his best friend off the guy they both wanted to murder and massacre to the point of his insanity.

People were collecting in the hallway to watch the scene, heads poking out of compartments.

"You bloody bastard!" Al cried at York. He hurled insult after insult at York and punch after punch landed the target.

"Go back to your compartments, now!" roared Scorpius at all of the students watching the spectacle.

Frightened, they all obliged and scurried back into their compartments.

"Al, get off him," Scorpius tried again. Finally he just picked Albus off of the bloody boy who was Trayson York and hurled Al down the hallway. "Stay over there," he commanded Al, who was glaring murderously at York and slightly at Scorpius for coming between York's death.

"Get up, git," Scorpius demanded York. "Listen to me, if you ever, _ever_, come near Rose again I will rip out your spine and strangle you with it and apparate you everywhere so that you leave splinched parts over yourself all over the world." Scorpius's voice was deadly low and York was terrified. He nodded and tried to scamper away but Scorpius grabbed his robes and said, "Not so fast, mud-sucking bastard of a fucker," and he punched him square in the jaw, rounding off Albus's attacks.

Scorpius and Albus turned around and left York lying unconscious in the corridor.

"Let's go find Rose," Albus said, and rushed off down the train, leaving Scorpius behind, who was scared for Rose and what Albus was going to do to her.


	17. Chapter 17

Scorpius sat on the couch in the Head's Dorm anticipating the arrival of Rose, who was surely going to hex him into oblivion for beating up York.

Scorpius grinned as he remembered the bloody mass York had resembled the last time he'd seen him.

The door swung open and in stormed Rose.

"Why in Merlin's name did you attack York?" she shouted.

Scorpius wanted to smile; he was just so pleased with himself.

"Because he deserved it," he said. "And I know that you are perfectly happy with what Albus and I did."

"Really? And how would you know that?" Rose seemed to be even more annoyed because Scorpius was refusing to get in a fight with her. His voice was staying calm and placid.

"Because I know you extremely well," Scorpius shrugged. "I know that you hate anything touching your neck which is why you don't let people kiss your neck and you keep the top buttons on your shirt undone and your tie loose when you wear your uniform. I know that you love the rain and especially love to play Quidditch in the rain because you think it makes you a better player. I know that you consider Victoire your older sister and Lily your younger sister and that the three of you are insanely close to each other. I know that you feel constricted by your parents' expectations and that you feel you have to live up to their reputations and achieve something equally great. I know that once when you were eleven you were making brownies with your mum and you added olive oil instead of vegetable oil and you ate all of the brownies before anyone else had a chance so that no one found out about your mistake. I know you run away from things and fight things to no end. I know you like to appear fearless and invincible."

"You know what, Scorpius?"

"No, what Rose?"

"Everything you're saying is inconceivable. You think you know everything about my life and you know nothing."

"So are you saying that you've pretended that Al and I are your best friends, that you really hate the rain, that you aren't close to Victoire or Lily, that you can make brownies perfectly, and you especially love when people do this?" Scorpius leaned down and sucked on her neck.

Rose shivered and pushed him away. "I hate when something touches my neck and you know it!" she screamed, stomping her foot.

Scorpius grinned in triumph and Rose's face took on a frustrated expression when she realized she'd lost the argument.

"Fine, Scorpius Malfoy, you know me very, very well. Are you happy?"

"Ecstatic."

"Good!"

Rose turned on her heel and marched out of the dorm, the portrait hole slamming loudly behind her.

Scorpius leaned back in the couch and put his hands behind his head. Oh yes, he was very happy with himself.


	18. Chapter 18

"Rosalie Weasley!" Albus screamed at Rose.

Rose was glaring harshly at Albus as he raged at her.

"You didn't tell me! You didn't tell anyone! We all could've helped! But no, you're stupid pride kept you from saying anything! Damn it, Rose!"

Rose cast a furtive glance at Scorpius, hoping that he'd jump in and help her. But he was sitting casually in one of the arm chairs by the fire in the Heads' Dorm, picking at his nails and looking disdainfully bored.

"Rose why didn't you tell me?" cried Albus. His hands were wrenched in his hair and he was pulling at it. He looked deranged.

"Maybe I couldn't!" Rose shouted back. "Maybe I didn't want you to know. Maybe I thought you'd think I was weak, that I couldn't handle anything on my own! Maybe _I_ felt weak! Did you ever think of that?"

Al looked stunned. He fell down onto the couch next to Rose. Scorpius moved and sat down on the couch with them.

"I just want to help. I wish you'd told me so I could've helped," Al said.

He hated the thought of his best friend, his cousin, being subjected to something like that. She'd been raped, she was pregnant, nothing was going the right way for her at all. Al always put other peoples' burdens on himself, so that meant he was carrying every bad thing that was happening and had happened to Rose on himself as well, making it doubly hard for her to recover as he made everything happen twofold.

"We just want to help, Rose," Scorpius said. "You just have to let us."

"Stop it!" Rose cried, wiping away a few stray tears from her face. She leaped up. "Stop pitying me! I did fine without you before, I don't need you now. I'm fine on my own. You two didn't even notice anything had happened. James had to tell you. Neither one of you knew me well enough to notice, and now you're going to pretend like you care?"

"What are you talking about, Rose! We do too care! How can you even say that?" Scorpius cried, standing up, Al leaping up along with him.

"Just get away from me!" Rose screamed and burst through the door and left the Heads' Dorm in a fit.

"Maybe it's the hormones," Scorpius suggesteddd, shrugging.

Al glared at his best friend. "Well, that would be your fault now, wouldn't it?"

Scorpius instantly angered. "It's not like I did it on purpose!" he shouted.

"You're always been pathetically in love with her, it could've just been a way for you to get her, huh?"

"I can't even believe that you'd think that! I would never _ever _do anything like that! And I am not pathetically in love with Rose!" Scorpius screamed in anger, completely losing his cool, and his temper.

"You might not get someone pregnant on purpose, but you sure damn are in love with Rose. Please, you really think that I don't notice the looks you give her? How jealous you are whenever she's with anyone else? How much you waned to hurt York?"

"You practically killed the guy, too!"

"I'm her cousin! I'm not in love with her! You, on the other hand, God you're so happy whenever she's happy. It's all so ridiculous!"

"I don't love her!"

"Prove it!"

"By doing what?"

"Get a girlfriend!"

"You want me to get a girlfriend when I got my best friend pregnant and she is currently carrying my child?" Scorpius asked, incredulous.

"Yes! And if she ever heard you say 'carrying my child' she would rip your intestines out for being such a misogynist!"

"I know she would," Scorpius gritted his teeth together. "But I'm not a misogynist."

Al snorted. "Yes you are. You mistreat girls all of the time, especially the ones you date. You disregard their feelings and act like they don't actually have them or exist in the first place."

Scorpius grimaced. "That's not being a misogynist, that's being a womanizer. And I'm not a womanizer either!"

Albus laughed harshly. "The only people who aren't male that you've ever cared about are your mother, Rose, and Lily."

"That is not true at all, Al, and you know it," Scorpius growled. "You're just a self-loathing asshole who enjoys putting his opinions of himself on other people."

"I'm not a womanizer, that's all you," Al said. "And you know it. You're just a stuck up, selfish prick and you don't care about anyone else's feelings but your own. Don't you realize what you're doing to Rose? You're just hurting her! Constantly!"

"Hey, I don't recall being the one that forced her to run up and leave!" Scorpius yelled.

"I'm not the one who doesn't know the difference between helping and hurting!"

"I know the difference, damn it! But no one else is helping! I'm trying my best!"

"And who's fault is it that no one is helping?" Al asked murderously.

"Certainly not mine," Scorpius snarled. "It's Rose's. She's the one that didn't tell anyone. And if not Rose's, then James's. Because he refused to say anything, too. I just want to help, Al." Scorpius collapsed on the couch, his head in his hands. He looked like an old man. "She's breaking. She's falling apart. And nothing's stopping her. She used to be so strong. Now she's so fragile. I don't know what to do."

Al straggled to the sofa and landed beside Scorpius. "Me either. And she's certainly not going to help herself." Albus sighed and leaned back into the cushions. "What about that stinking baby?"

Scorpius felt himself shaking. "She can't handle it. She can't deal with it. She can't have it."


	19. Chapter 19

Rose knew that when Scorpius was angry, he should be avoided. She also knew that she never did that.

Scorpius had been slamming doors, hurtling insults, storming around, and yelling at anything that breathed. He was like a Hungarian Horntail who'd been attacked with a pitchfork on fire.

Rose cornered Scorpius in the dorms on Friday night. Normally, they'd both be out partying in one of the common rooms and more than likely already heavily drunk. But they hadn't been out since a few weeks after they'd woken up next to each other in September.

She plopped down on the couch beside him, leaning over to see what he was reading.

"What're you reading?"

Scorpius grumbled something incoherent.

"What's that?"

"I said," he repeated, irritated, "it's none of your business."

Rose sighed and leaned back into the couch. She hadn't expected it to be easy, but she'd hoped.

"What're you doing tomorrow? There's that Hogsmeade tripped we planned back in September. I thought you, me, and Al could all go."

"No," Scorpius said, still focusing his eyes on the tiny print on the yellowing pages of his book.

"What book is that?"

"Mrs. Van Uppity's Ways of the World," Scorpius snapped.

"Though it's a classic it's not exactly my favorite. I always thought her book on the Counterparts of Insanity was better," Rose grinned.

Scorpius just gave her a dry look.

"Come on, put the fictional book down and come do something with me," Rose tried to coax him.

He rolled his eyes and put his aged copy of Les Miserables down on the table. His grandfather had given it to him. It was the one possession that was connected to his family that he didn't resent. He cared for it just as much as Rose cared for the copy her grandma had given her. It had been Hermione's favorite book when she was younger.

"What do you want Rose?" sighed Scorpius.

Rose frowned. This was new. Usually he was angry, fire-breathing, and almost always out for blood. But instead he just looked spent. He had huge black and blue sunken circles under his eyes, which were bloodshot. His face looked gray and his clothes were so rumpled it looked like he'd slept a restless night in them.

"I want you to be okay," Rose said finally.

Scorpius turned to her and gave her a look. It was empty, desolate. Rose shuddered from the intensity, but refused to drop my gaze from him.

"How the hell can I be okay, if you aren't?" he asked.

"What is that even supposed to mean?"

Scorpius sighed and leaned onto the arm rest on his side, covered his eyes with his hand. "Rose, just leave me alone."

"No," Rose stated.

"Please, Rose. Just go."

He sounded so dejected, like he had nothing. He sounded like a dying man. Which he most certainly wasn't.

Rose stared at him again. He had his hand over his eyes but his fingers were spread apart so that she could see his eyes darting back and forth all over, even when he thought she couldn't. Rose grabbed his hand and tore it away from his face.

"What's going on, Scorp?"

"Rose," he sighed her name, but his eyes were far off in the distance, away from her.

She took her hands and cupped them around his face, turning him to her. "Scorp, tell me. I can make it better," she promised wildly.

Scorpius shook his head. "No, you can't," he said viciously. "You're the problem."

Rose fell back into the couch as if she'd been physically hit. Then her temper returned. "Oh, really? What did I do this time?"

"Not what _you_ did," Scorpius snapped, "what I did _to_ you."

"What's that?" Rose whispered, moving towards him, intent on wrapping him in a hug when he decided he was too distraught to talk. It had happened when his grandmother had passed away, and Rose felt he was even more upset about this.

Scorpius twisted around to face Rose. "What do you mean 'what's that'?" he snarled. "It's not like it's anything permanent or future-dissolving." His words stung and Rose leaned away.

"I saw the letter, Rose," Scorpius continued. "The coach of the Holyhead Harpies doesn't want you anymore because of the _baby_," he sneered. "And there wouldn't be a baby without me."

"Why the hell are you going through my mail?" Rose shrieked, standing up and glaring down at Scorpius.

"Someone's a little hormonal, don't you think?"

"And how do you know that the baby's yours? Do you have proof?"

Scorpius stood up and took a step towards Rose so that they were barely an inch apart. "Do you want me to get proof, Rose?" his voice was low and threatening.

Rose braced herself. She knew what happened next. It always did.

"Yes," she snarled. "You're a jerk and you're being cruel and insensitive. I wonder why? Maybe it's because you're a Malfoy. No better than you Death Eater grandfather and dad."

Scorpius's hand flew and struck its mark across her cheek.

The force sent Rose flying to the side and she crashed into an end table, sending the lamp to the ground where it shattered.

Scorpius reminded Rose of Sirius Black. She'd heard plenty of stories from her mum and dad. He'd always been like a hero to her. He'd alienated himself from his family because he hated what they believed in. Scorpius had always done the same thing, though he hadn't actually disowned his family, he'd wanted to many a time. But, unlike in the stories she'd heard about Sirius, Scorpius didn't want to abandon the man who'd tried to change for the sake of his son. His father tried. And so Scorpius hated the prejudices against his family. A hate which he showed pretty often.

Scorpius stepped over the porcelain towards her. Rose cowered on the ground. "I'm no better than a Death Eater, am I? I'll show you just how much like one I can be," he growled and grabbed her arm, his grip so tight she thought she was losing circulation.

"If you keep doing that then I will certainly think that you aren't any better than either of them," Rose snarled.

Scorpius strode towards her, Rose stumbled back. But soon her back was up against the cold, stone wall, nowhere left to run.

Scorpius grabbed her hands and pinned them up at her shoulders. "You want me to act like a Death Eater?" he breathed, his breath washing across her face.

Rose knew the way to get him to stop. But she wasn't so far gone yet. She knew the way to pick a fight with him was to say something about his family, his heritage. She knew what she'd done. She regretted it because she'd intentionally and cruelly provoked him. But she knew that without a fight, he wouldn't be back to himself again.

Rose wormed one arm free and punched him in the face. His nose started bleeding but he wasn't distracted; he pushed her arm back up to where the height the other one was.

"Keep trying," Scorpius sneered the famous Malfoy sneer. "I'd like to see you try to fight me." He moved his head closer.

Rose knew she needed to end this, otherwise he'd regret it about a thousand times more than he was going to.

So she kissed him.

Her lips lingered far too long for it to be friendly. Just one simple little kiss would always give him a stab of reality. She was expecting him to step back and tear his hair with his hands, regret and loathing of himself evident on his face until she could coax it away. But she wasn't expecting him to kiss her back, harsh and skilled.

His lips were violent, cruel, taunting, and yearning against her own. But they were soft and wanted her, and Rose found herself craving him more than she'd ever like to admit.

She knotted her hands in his hair and he pushed his hands up beneath her shirt. He forced her mouth open with his and prodded his tongue inside, racing over her teeth. Scorpius pulled gently on her hair, forcing her head back so he could push his tongue deeper inside her mouth. Rose moaned and Scorpius groaned in response.

Scorpius picked her up and wrapped her legs around him.

Somehow they ended up on top of his bed with Scorpius's deft hands swiftly undoing Rose's clothing just as she was doing it as fast.

Scorpius was hovering over her, his mouth still attacking hers.

Rose looked up and suddenly, she wasn't in Scorpius's room on his bed. She was on a stone floor, the cold seeping through her skin into her. Another guy was leaning over her, taunting her, striking fear in her. The usual effect of alcohol while she was fucking someone was absent, and the memories were present.

Rose screamed and pushed Scorpius off her. He was surprised by her actions and toppled off the bed. Rose was breathing heavy, a wild, frightened, deer-in-the-headlights look in her eyes.

"Rose?" Scorpius asked warily. "Rosie?" He crawled back onto the bed and wrapped his arms around Rose. "Rose, what's wrong, tell me what's wrong, tell me what's wrong, it's okay, I'll make it okay."

Scorpius pulled Rose between his legs and tightened his arms around her. Rose leaned into his chest and sobbed.

"Rose, it's okay, it's okay. Just cry it out, everything will be alright," Scorpius held her tight.

_Good_, he thought. Because she was going to cry it all out now, the purpose of the fight.

He hadn't wanted to hurt her. But he hadn't thought she'd bite back at him. He hadn't thought she'd pull out of Malfoy card. He hadn't thought he'd end up almost sleeping with her again. He hadn't thought hid hit her.

Scorpius wanted to put his head in his hands, but he was still cradling Rose, who's wet tears were soaking his chest.

He gripped her tighter. He knew she'd only get over everything if she cried it out.

Scorpius looked down at Rose. He'd seen her cry only twice, this being the second time. And the waterworks weren't stopping.

"Rosie?" Scorpius asked quietly. "I'm sorry."

This only made Rose cry harder.

"Rose I am so sorry." Scorpius pulled Rose's hair away from her face and held it up, blowing cold air on her neck, a trick that he'd learn in second year that was sure to make her calm down. Rose's tears were slowly subsiding.

"I'm so sorry for hitting you," Scorpius's voice shook. "I'm so sorry for yelling at you. I'm so sorry for getting you pregnant. I'm so sorry for ruining your future. I am so sorry for not saving you from getting raped. I am so sorry for not helping you when I found out. And I am so sorry for going behind your back and telling McGonagall and getting her to tell your parents about it. I'm so sorry for everything," Scorpius said. His voice hadn't stopped shaking through the whole confession.

"I'm glad you told my parents," Rose's voice was scratchy and shaky. "I could never have done it, and they needed to know. James told Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny, anyways. They would've told my mum and dad if I didn't."

Scorpius tightened his grip on Rose. "I'm so sorry, Rosie."

"I know," she said. Her voice was so quiet he almost wondered if he'd heard her say anything. "Thank you," Rose whispered, and pressed her lips to Scorpius's.

It wasn't the harsh passionate kind of kiss they'd shared only that day. It was sweet and tender and Scorpius wrapped his arms around Rose. He wanted to share this happy feeling with her forever. But Rose didn't believe in love. So he was going to be left alone, or with the numerous others he tried to fill her place with.


	20. Chapter 20

Hermione strode purposefully into her old professor's office. McGonagall had told her to wait up there for her, so there she was.

Hermione was distraught. There wasn't really another way to put it. Her daughter had been raped. And she was also pregnant. Hermione had thought that she'd taught her daughter how to stand up for herself, how to fight. She thought she'd taught her how to make decisions, and the fact that every decision affected her life and those around her.

But obviously she hadn't done as good of a job as she'd hoped.

Hermione sank into the plush chair across from the Headmistress's desk and sighed.

Ron was taking this even worse that she was. It wasn't a Father of the Bride moment kind of worse. He was in a slump, feeling not only like an awful parent but like a terrible human being. He felt like he was a pathetic excuse for a father, that he couldn't even protect his little girl. And Hermione didn't know how to fix it.

The door opened and Hermione sat up straight, mentally blocking the unsettling thoughts from her mind as best she could.

"Ah, Hermione, how are you?" Professor McGonagall settled herself into the seat across from one of the most talented pupils she had ever had as a teacher.

Hermione managed a small smile, though it came out as a grimace. "As well as I can be," she answered.

McGonagall nodded in understanding and sympathy.

"Actually, Minerva, I was wondering if I might take Rose home with me today. There is only be a few days until Easter break anyways and she'll just return at the normal time with the rest of the students. I…I want to talk about a few things with her," Hermione stuttered through the ending.

Minerva nodded. "I think that's an excellent idea." She paused for a few moments. "Rose is fighting a great deal with Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy. They're trying their best to help but at some moments it's hurting them as well as her. I know how close you two are. If she went home with you it'd be a very good thing for her right now."

Hermione nodded. "Thank you." This time her smile was genuine.

"Absolutely," Minerva said. "Anything I can do to help, I will. All you have to do is ask."

Hermione nodded, her throat caught with emotion. She stood up and hugged her old professor. Minerva patted her hair like she would her daughter's. "It'll be alright, don't worry."

* * *

An hour later, Rose was curled up on the couch in her house with her mum.

They were watching a favorite movie of theirs and fighting for control of the popcorn bowl.

Rose sighed contentedly. Hermione put her arm around her daughter and brought her closer, Rose snuggling into her mum.

Rose missed this. She missed being so close to her mum. She missed the mother-daughter movies and baking and cooking and things that they did while she was home.

Her dad had decided to go over to Uncle Harry's and Aunt Ginny's for the night, so her and her mum had decided to resurrect some traditions.

The movie ended with applause and the credits rolled up onto the screen.

Rose fought her drooping eyelids but eventually succumbed and fell asleep on her mum's lap.

Hermione looked down at her sleeping daughter and felt something clench at her heart. How could anyone do something so horrible to someone as innocent and optimistic as Rose?

But Hermione knew how it had all come about now. James and Al had told her what they knew during the winter holiday. She had cried. She wasn't afraid to admit it. After all, what mother wouldn't cry after hearing the story of her daughter being raped? Then they'd told about how her personality had changed, how she'd become reckless. James had prodded Al to tell their aunt how Rose had begun getting drunk and sleeping around, but most often with her best friend.

Hermione's throat clenched and her eyes got itchy with unshed tears as she thought about her daughter recklessly abandoning the morals she had been brought up with. But she couldn't find any fault in her, because it was all the bastard's fault.

Her nephews had refused to tell her who had done the evil, but Hermione relieved because she was almost afraid to know. They said that they had taken care of it. Al had promised her that he and Scorpius would protect Rose.

But Rose hated being protected. Even as a very young girl she'd assaulted independence with glee and had controlled it. It was a common trait in the Weasley clan. No one liked being protected or asking for help. They could look after themselves, every single one.

Hermione let her tears fall and she held onto Rose tighter. She would give anything for Rose to once more be an innocent little girl. To not know the horrors of what life was really like sometimes. She'd give anything for Rose to only fear nightmares once again. Not to fear reality.

Hermione glanced down at her daughter again. She saw how her stomach bulged. Rose had been using a Concealing Charm while at school to hide the pregnancy, but had removed it when she got home as the side-effects included a slight pressure on what was being concealed and it had been irritating her.

Her daughter was going to have a baby at eighteen. Truth be told, it was only a few years younger than Hermione had been when she'd had Rose, and about the same age as Ginny when she'd had James, but it still startled and shocked her. Soon her daughter would be a mother.

Hermione wondered if Rose would have ever told her what had happened to her. McGonagall had said that Scorpius Malfoy had told her and had told her to tell Ron and Hermione. Hermione smiled inwardly. She was glad that her daughter had such a caring and wonderful best friend. But the anxiousness and hurt were still present. Why hadn't Rose told her?

Rose stirred and sat up sleepily. "Is the movie over?"

"You fell asleep just as the credits were beginning," Hermione smiled, moving a stray piece of hair out of Rose's eyes.

"Oh," Rose was often monosyllabic when tired.

"Rose, you know you can trust me with anything, right?" asked Hermione, her voice anxious.

Rose's eyes darted around the room, as if looking for an escape.

"Of course, Mum," she mumbled when she realized she wasn't getting out of this conversation.

"Then why didn't you tell me you were…ra-raped?" Hermione could barely get the words out; she felt that if she said them then it would definitely be true, no more a possibility of it having been imagined.

Rose looked up at her mum in shock. She knew that Scorpius had told McGonagall, who'd told her parents, but it was the first time Hermione had said it aloud.

Rose scooted farther away from her mum on the couch. She hung her head, trying to hide her tears. "I was ashamed. I still am. I thought you and Dad would be disappointed in me," her voice shook and betrayed her emotions. She was sobbing. "Disappointed that I couldn't get away. I'm disappointed in myself. I thought I was stronger, I thought I could get out of anything."

Hermione pulled her daughter into a suffocating hug. "It is _not_ your fault," she said fiercely, "it never, ever, will be. You are strong, Rose. You can conquer anything," Hermione hugged Rose tighter. She might have said that Rose was strong, but as she held the girl in her arms, she got the sense that her daughter was breaking into tiny shards that just might be impossible to put back together.

"We're going to get through this, I promise you, Rose," Hermione said. "I promise that everything will be alright."

Rose didn't want to talk about this anymore. She wanted to run from it, fight against it. Just like she wanted to fight against her rising feelings for Scorpius. Because she didn't, couldn't, believe in love. All that would happen would be that she'd get hurt. Love didn't exist. York had shown her that.

"I love you, Rose," Hermione murmured.

"I love you, too, Mum," Rose said. She felt comforted by her mum's arms around her, just holding her, not saying anything. But eventually she had a question that was burning through her, shriveling up her insides with its desperation to be let out. "Mum, do you believe in love?"

Hermione looked down at her daughter, wondering what had brought this question on. "Yes, I do, Rose. I'm in love with your dad."

"Did you believe in love when you were my age?"

Hermione pondered this a bit. "I was never the girl who wanted a knight-in-shining-armor, if that helps. To be honest, the only reason I ever kissed your dad in the beginning was because I thought we were going to die and I wanted to make sure that I kissed him before that happened. I don't think I loved him then. Sure, I loved him, just as I love your uncle Harry. But I wasn't in love with him."

Rose had known that her parents had first kissed at the Final Battle at Hogwarts. But she'd always been told that that was when they realized they loved each other, not that the kiss had born itself out of need before death.

"Then why didn't you kiss Uncle Harry instead?" Rose asked.

Hermione laughed. "Why would I have ever done that? I knew I liked Ron, and I have never liked Harry. Ever." Hermione shuddered a bit and they both chuckled.

Rose sighed.

"What brought this on?" Hermione asked.

"I don't believe in love," Rose stated, making Hermione's heart ache at the melancholy of Rose's life if she didn't even have the littlest hope of love in her own heart, "but I think I want to."

"Who brought this change on?" Hermione asked.

Rose shrugged but Hermione saw her eyes flicker to her stomach.

"Honey, let me tell you a story," Hermione said. "Did you know that your aunt Ginny was pregnant with James before she and Uncle Harry got married?"

Rose's eyes went wide and she shook her head. "Really?"

Hermione nodded. "Ginny freaked out. She thought her mum would disown her if she found out. To be fair, Molly wouldn't have disowned her, but she would have been heartbroken that her daughter hadn't followed the traditions of her own generation and all of the things that Ginny had been raised to believe in. Ginny was so worried. She hadn't told Harry. She came to me and sat for a week on my couch, bawling."

Rose's eyes widened further. She had never, ever seen her aunt Ginny cry. She was exceptionally strong and always so sure of herself. It was like Ginny could do anything. Ginny was like the female Sirius Black to Rose. They both had the mindset and the power to do what they wanted, what their will commanded them to do. They fought for freedom, never being tied down. (At least from the stories Rose had heard about the two of them it seemed like that.) Rose couldn't ever imagine her aunt Ginny crying.

"Ginny told Harry and they got married, mostly to save themselves from Nana. But Ginny didn't want to marry Harry just because they were having a baby together. She and Harry had tons and tons of fights about it, especially after they got married. They loved each other before, but the baby had taken a toll on it. Harry still loved Ginny, but Ginny didn't want to love Harry. She didn't want to get hurt and she thought she was saving herself by refusing to believe in love. But you see now how much they love each other?"

Rose nodded. It was common knowledge that Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry were deliriously in love with each other. They were the butt of a lot of Uncle George's jokes. It was also quite obvious since she and Al had walked in on them practically going at it on the kitchen counter. She didn't like to eat at the counter at their house anymore.

"They always did love each other that much, though. About a year after James was born Ginny finally let herself believe in love and really love Harry. They've been happy ever since," Hermione said.

Rose knew what the moral was of the story. But she wanted her mum to say it, so she waited patiently, knowing that her mum would have to impart the last piece of wisdom.

"Don't protect yourself by not letting yourself believe in love. Just because you're pregnant, not married, and eighteen, doesn't mean that you don't love the father. And trust me, Scorpius loves you," Hermione said, a twinkle in her eye.

Rose looked up with shock. "He doesn't love me, he just loves to snog me."

"And, apparently, shag you," Hermione said, smiling. Rose's mouth dropped, she'd never heard her mum use such language before. "Don't look so surprised, Rose," she laughed.

"I'm scared to love him," Rose whispered.

Hermione hugged her daughter again. "I think he's scared to love you too, especially if he's heard you say that you don't believe in love."

"I want to believe in it with him," Rose said. "I just don't know how."

"I have faith in you that you'll figure it out," Hermione said.

* * *

**a HUMONGOUS thanks to for her amazing review! and a huge thanks to everyone else who's ever reviewed! **


	21. Chapter 21

"Dad, I know how much you love hugs, but I really am having a hard time breathing," Rose said, entrapped in her father's arms.

Ron laughed. "Then how did you manage to get out all of those words? And coherent, too? Besides, it's not like you're even near me. _It_'s in the way."

Rose glanced down at her rather large stomach and saw that yes, it was in the way. She grimaced. Ron was able to speak about it; in limited words, anyways. But she still avoided the topic like the black plague.

"Are we going to hide the Easter eggs now?" asked Victoire, walking into the room. "Claire's fast asleep so it'd probably be best."

Ron chuckled. "You realize, Victoire, that Claire is the only one searching for the eggs, right?"

"What are you talking about, Dad? I'm going to look for them too!" Rose said, laughing. "And so are Al and Lily and James and Dominique and Fred and Louis and Teddy and Roxanne and Molly and Lucy and Hugo. Everybody's going to search. It's a tradition!"

Victoire pouted. "How come you didn't include me in that list?"

"Because you are now hiding them, hah!" Rose stuck her tongue out at Victoire, who stuck out hers in return.

"I'm so glad the people who are going to be, or are, mothers are the ones who are the least mature," Ron said, chuckling.

"Ah, c'mon, it's not like you're any more mature, Uncle Ron," said Victoire.

Ron opened his mouth to argue, but closed it as he realized she had a point.

"What are you all doing up?" Hermione strode into the room. "You all have Easter eggs to find tomorrow morning. You know that if you wait up for the Easter bunny he'll never come. He's like Santa."

Rose, Victoire, and Ron all fell into a fit of giggles.

"Oh for Heavens' sakes just go to sleep so I can hide them!" she shushed them and pushed them all up the stairs at the Burrow.

* * *

"Sit this one out with me," Al attempted to coax Rose.

"You can't just sit out of a Weasley Easter egg hunt!" Rose argued.

"But I'm tired," Al whined, pointing to the hideously purple bags under his eyes to prove his point.

"And who's fault is that? You're the one that stayed up all night."

"I was studying! We've got that huge potions essay, and N.E.W.T.S. are coming up! As Head Girl, aren't you supposed to pass with flying colors?"

"So you were really playing Quidditch in the backyard with Uncle Harry, James, and Lily?"

Al sighed in defeat. "Fine, I was playing Quidditch. But my argument would've worked on anyone else."

Rose laughed. "No, it would've worked on Granddad. And possibly Uncle Percy. Only because he would've gone into a lecture about the importance of N.E.W.T.S. and how you should study for them and how to take them and more details that no one wants to know about."

"True. But you're going to do well on them since you have nothing to do but study now."

"Don't remind me, please." Rose sighed and sank onto the bench nearest to them and watched the rest of their family run around searching for colorful Easter eggs. She hated to be reminded of the fact that her career in professional Quidditch had completely disappeared. She couldn't play for Gryffindor anymore and that meant no scouts could come and see her play. But Albus was still shooting for spot as seekerPuddlemere United, which meant that she had to be in the midst of conversations about Quidditch, reminding her of all she'd lost.

"Sorry," Al said. "Any idea where Scorpius is?"

"Nope," Rose responded quickly. She didn't want to discuss this. She might end up spilling that conversation she'd had with her mum about him and that would be bad.

"I thought he was coming here for Easter. He usually does." Lily's latest boyfriend was also missing, but Rose thought it'd be better to slide over that little detail as Al tended to get really older-brother-ish when the topic of his sister and her boyfriends came up.

Rose shrugged. "I haven't talked to him lately. You probably know more than I do."

Al gave his cousin a pointed look. "You haven't talked to him lately? Don't you think it'd be a good idea to?"

Rose put her arms in front of her stomach. "No, I don't." She'd stopped putting the Concealing Charm on her stomach for the weekend and all of a sudden, it had seemed huge. Her family was all staring at it and it was freaking her out. She didn't need to be reminded. Nor did she need Molly and Lucy coming up and exclaiming about the baby and putting their hands on her stomach – which she promptly pushed off. Rose shuddered inwardly. She loved Molly and Lucy, really, but they were a little over the top sometimes.

"Rose," Al sighed. "He's the freaking father. You've got to talk to him sometime."

"Yeah, _sometime_. As in, not now."

"Rose, you're being stubborn."

"What's your point? I'm usually stubborn. Except when I'm Rose."

"Not funny."

"I thought it was," Lily bounded up behind them and plopped in between them on the bench. "Really, Al, get your sense of humor checked."

Al grumbled and settled farther back in the seat, away from his sister.

"Rose, come on, you have to go help me find Easter eggs," Lily pleaded. "James is finding all of them and it's really embarrassing!" Lily broke out into fake sobs.

Rose laughed. "Nope, I don't think I can."

"Why not?" Lily pouted.

"Because I can't really bend over, for one."

"Oh," Lily frowned. It was obvious she hadn't really thought far ahead. But she didn't usually, so it wasn't very surprising.

"How about you go run along and play with Hugo like a good little girl?" Al asked.

Lily laughed and kissed her brother on the forehead. "Of course, my dearest brother, whatever would I do without you and your wisdom?" She skipped off to join Hugo, immediately making a joke and bursting out into fresh peals of laughter.

"You used to be like that, you know," Al said.

"Like what?"

"You used to be like Lily, I said. You'd always be so happy and cheerful, excited to try anything new. And then fifth year you just became a cynical wretch, and a bit of a scarlet woman. You still had some of your real personality, but you were just unhappy most of the time. Sure, you attempted to pretend like you were happy, but it didn't fool me. Or Scorpius. We were really worried about you, Rose. Still are."

Rose sank farther down on the bench. She didn't want to worry them. But at the same time, she didn't need them worrying about her. "Al, I'm trying, okay? Maybe after _it_ comes I'll go back to normal."

"I think you have to stop referring to it as _it_ before anything will get better. You're going to be a mum in about three months, Rose. You kind of need to accept it before you're popping the baby out."

"Ew, gross image. Thanks for that, Al."

Al laughed. "My pleasure."

"And I am too accepting it."

Al gave Rose a pointed look.

"Ish," she added.

"That's more accurate. Maybe you should accept who the father is, too," Al said.

Rose rolled her eyes. "So you're just doing this to play matchmaker?"

"No. But you and Scorpius do need to settle this once and for all. He's willing, Rose. You need to let him in."

"I don't want him to be _willing_," she sneered. "I want him to actually _want_ to be a part of it's life."

"Stop referring to the baby as it!"

"Why?"

Al groaned. "Because one day I'm going to tell your kid that you hated them when you were pregnant with them if you keep continuing to call your kid _it_."

"Well, that's just rude."

Al sighed. "I'm getting nowhere."

"Well, you're sitting down, so I don't see how you could be getting anywhere anyways. Your feet aren't exactly propelling you any place."

"The snappy answers are not needed, Rose. Mostly because there wasn't a question to answer to." Al put his hand over his eyes in a gesture of extreme wariness. It wasn't surprising. He'd been up most of the night and now he was attempting to convince Rose of something, and doing that always took a lot of energy. "Just promise me you'll try, okay?"

"What am I supposed to be trying?" Rose snapped.

"To let Scorpius in, to solve your differences, to accept the baby, to go back to your old self. All of it."

"Will you stop scolding me and yelling at me if I do?"

"Yes."

"Fine, then. I promise."

"Good."

Now all Rose had to do was figure out whether that promise was worth it.

* * *

**Thank you for all of your reviews! Especially A True Dreamer for all of the reviews you've given me throughout this story!**


	22. Chapter 22

_Dear Mum and Dad,_

_School here is fine. Nothing new to report really. Of course, there is the tiny problem of me having knocked up Rose. But other than that it's all cheery and exciting here. N.E.W.T.S. are coming up in a few weeks and we've all been studying so hard I feel like my brains have become jelly and are going to flop out of my ears the second I sit down to take the tests. But since I'm trying to get into the Auror program (no, I do not want to be a Healer so don't even try to push that on me this time) I need to do really well. They only take about three people each year and I only know of a few people who are thinking about it as a career option so hopefully I'll make it in. McGonagall said that I have a highest chance of getting in, and no Dad, it's not just 'cause my best friend's father is the head of the department._

_I need to go study some more, so I'll be going now._

_Scorpius_

_P.S. Dad, make sure Mum doesn't freak out upon reading this letter._

Scorpius sighed. There was no way he could send this letter to his parents. But he wanted to so badly.

Well, screw it. He was going to. Scorpius folded it up and stuck it in an envelope addressed to Draco Malfoy and sent his owl off to his dad to deliver the letter. Hopefully by addressing it to his dad, his dad would read it first and then make sure that his mum didn't go ballistic.

He couldn't believe that he'd waited this long to tell his parents about what had happened and what he'd chosen about his career and everything, but there wasn't really a way for him to have done it when he was still so confused about the situation himself.

In the weeks after Easter break, Rose had returned and had almost been acting like her old self. The old self dating all the way back to first year. She'd run up to him the second she'd gotten back, hugged him, and apologized profusely about all of the mean things she'd said and everything awful she'd done to him and that she wanted him to be a part of the baby's life and everything. The real thing that had shocked him was that when she referred to the baby she'd actually said 'the baby' instead of 'it'. Al had watched the whole interaction, looking on proudly.

Scorpius didn't know what Al had done to make Rose see reason, but whatever it was, he was sure damn glad that Al had done it.

Now though, he was rethinking the letter he had just written. He'd told his parents (in an extremely indelicate way) that he'd gotten his best friend pregnant (who they really loved anyways and had always hoped their son would marry) and that he'd decided to go against their (mostly his mother's) wishes for his career.

It wasn't as if he could do anything about it now, though.

Scorpius moved away from the window that he'd sent his owl with the daunting letter through and got ready for Quidditch practice. Al had put off choosing a new Chaser to fill Rose's position as long as he possibly could. But now there really was no possibility as there was a match in a few weeks and the situation was becoming ridiculous. The good thing was that Lily wanted to be Chaser, and though she wasn't nearly as good as Rose (after all, Rose had been headed to the professionals, and not stopping at the reserve team), she was still very good.

Scorpius sighed and made his way out of the common room, but not before placing a blanket around Rose, who was on the couch in the same spot as where she'd fallen asleep in the middle of studying for N.E.W.T.S. the night before.

"Hey Al," Scorpius said as he reached the pitch.

Al nodded mutely back at him, his face strained and his lips pressed into a tight line. He was staring at the line of prospects across from him who were jumbling around and getting ready for their tryout. It didn't look too hopeful at all.

"These them?" Scorpius asked, though he really didn't need to.

Al nodded again.

"Thank God for Lily, eh?"

Al nodded.

"You seriously need to speak, mate. Come on, smile. Just a little smile? Maybe?"

Albus grimaced. "That good?"

"Well at least you're speaking."

"Where's Rose? She was going to help me pick out her replacement."

"Asleep on the couch. She passed out around midnight last night while we were going over Charms."

"That subject always did bore her. I could never understand how she managed to stay awake in Binns's class but not in Flitwick's class."

Scorpius shrugged. "She's always been a mystery."

Albus gave Scorpius a look. "To you, maybe."

Scorpius didn't know what that was supposed to mean, so he just ignored it. "I sent my parents a letter this morning. Told them I wasn't going to be a Healer. And…other things."

Al winced. "How do you think they're going to take it?"

"Dad'll probably go berserk but Mum will most likely faint, and when she comes 'round there's no telling what'll happen."

"Rose is getting better."

Scorpius couldn't help smiling. "I know. We've only got like, three months of school left though."

"So? We got the rest of our lives after that, don't we?"

"True," Scorpius smiled. It was a good thought. He would have his two best friends with him no matter what. "Did I tell you that my dad said he'd chip in for our round the world trip after graduation?"

Albus chuckled. "That'd be great, but I don't think that's going to happen anymore, mate."

"Why not? We've been planning this since third year. You, me, and Rose are going…oh."

"Yeah."

Scorpius slumped. Another one of their great plans and adventures destroyed.

"I'm going to start tryouts, okay? I don't want to be here all day and I promised Hagrid I'd have tea with him afterwards."

Scorpius nodded and moved off to the side. He watched as Al ran through the tryouts and chose Lily, to no one's surprise. Lily had been on the team but the year before she'd been kicked off for her Transfiguration grade and hadn't been able to make tryouts for this year.

"Congrats, Lily," Scorpius said, giving her a big smile, as she walked over to him and Al.

"Thanks, Scorpius," she grinned, obviously happy with being back on the team.

"Keep up the grades this time, Lils, I mean it," Al half-heartily warned her, not putting in any effort and deciding to just give her a bear hug and then drag her off to Hagrid's with a wave good-bye to Scorpius.

Scorpius trudged back up to the castle. He took the longest route possible back to the Head Dorms. Knowing how fast his owl was, there would already be a letter waiting for him from his dad. Draco was nowhere near as scary as his mother could be, but Scorpius really didn't want to disappoint him. Draco was a great father and had always accepted Scorpius and his decisions no matter what, but this was one thing Scorpius had barely accepted.

He loved Rose. He did. He could spend the rest of his life with her, if she would ever admit that she loved him too. But because she didn't admit it, it made it all that much harder for Scorpius to accept that they were going to be connected in such a big way, so soon.

Sure enough, upon opening the Head Dorms he saw Rose receiving the letter from Brownie, as he'd so unimaginatively christened her due to her feathers and a craving for brownies at the time of her purchase. Rose turned around at the sound of the door and handed him the letter, which was much larger and bulkier than normal. Scorpius sighed; it was probably just a lot of insults and lectures that had too many words to be fit into a normal-sized envelope.

Scorpius undid the seal but instead of a bunch of paper falling out, only a regular letter slipped out and – a small, worn, blue velvet box.

Scorpius gaped at the box. He picked it up, disregarding the letter, and opened it. Nestled inside was the engagement ring his great-uncle Ted Tonks had given to his great-aunt Andromeda.


	23. Chapter 23

Scorpius tore open the letter as fast as he possibly could, ripping the paper and the seal. All the letter said was:

_I'm disappointed. Don't waste this opportunity. We all know you love her._

Scorpius blanched. This was a perfect What the Hell? moment. It was his dad's handwriting. Therefore, Draco must have either gone mental or was under the Imperius curse. Though, the post script made it seem as though it were neither. _(P.S. Your mother was thoroughly confused and I was forced to explain the term 'knocked up' to her. Then she fainted. That was an excrutiatingly awkward thing to explain and a terrible situation to put me in so even if I don't punish you for knocking up Rose I'm going to punish you for making break the news to your mum.)_

Rose was staring at him. More accurately, her eyes were flickering back and forth between the letter in his hands that her eyes were accosting greedily – obviously wanting to read it, him, and the blue velvet box he'd discarded on the coffee table.

Scorpius wordlessly gestured to Rose to take the letter. She snatched it away and her eyes ravaged the words hungrily. Scorpius stared at his best friend, waiting for her reaction. Her eyes became wide and her head snapped up to look at him.

"It's your dad's handwriting," she said.

Scorpius nodded. Why wasn't she asking about the last sentence, before the p.s.? He didn't care who wrote it right that second; he cared what she thought about what it said!

"He didn't say much," said Rose.

"Really? It seemed like _The Odyssey_ to me," Scorpius said, not sure if he was joking or not. Those three sentences had certainly conveyed a lot of what his father was thinking to him. Maybe Rose didn't get the full meaning, but Scorpius did. It meant his father was giving Scorpius permission to ask Rose to marry him. It wasn't like he wouldn't have asked her if he hadn't had Draco's permission, but it was the fact that his father had said 'Don't waste this opportunity' that shocked him.

Draco had known all along that Rose was the only girl Scorpius would ever love. The only girl he would ever want to spend the rest of his life with. And that scared Scorpius.

It scared Scorpius that he was apparently obviously transparent and Al and all of his ex-girlfriends had been right. It scared him that his dad knew. It scared him that that was what Draco wanted. And it scared Scorpius that that was what _he_ wanted.

But what really scared Scorpius was that Rose had set the letter down next to the box on the table and had flounced back off to the couch and was studying her potions notes, what she'd been doing before she'd retrieved the letter for Scorpius.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" he asked.

"What do you want me to say?" she said, not looking up from the crinkled papers.

Scorpius shrugged. "Something, anything. It's weird seeing you quiet when you're obviously bursting to say something."

It was true. Scorpius knew by the way her hands were clenching around the papers and how her eyes weren't looking at her notes on Pepper-Up Potions, but instead staring at the blue box.

Rose shrugged then. "It's not my letter. It's yours. Just because I read it doesn't mean I can act on it."

"Do you want to act on it? Do you at least want to know what it means?"

"Not particularly. Your dad's mind is something I've never really felt the urge to divulge in." She tried to sound disinterested, but Scorpius knew better. She sounded worried.

Scorpius picked up the letter and held onto it tightly. It was as if clutching his father's words made his courage grow. He didn't tear his gaze away from Rose, who was determinedly avoiding his eyes. The more he looked at her, the more sure he was of just how much he loved her. Just how much he couldn't bear to be apart from her. Just how much he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

His legs propelled him forward though his brain didn't even register it. Scorpius felt his hands picking up Rose's notes and putting them on the table, then grabbing her hands.

Scorpius felt like an observer, like he wasn't really doing those things, that he was watching someone else do it instead.

Rose finally connected her eyes to his, and the second she did, Scorpius was blown away.

She was nervous, afraid of what he was going to say.

He didn't even know, himself.

All he knew was that three seconds later, his mouth was moving, forming words, and sound was coming out. "Marry me."

There are no words to describe just how shocked and frightened Rose's face was. "What?" she asked, the word barely making any sound.

"Marry me," Scorpius repeated, with much more confidence this time.

Rose snatched her hands away from Scorpius. She shook her head. "No, I can't. I'm sorry."

"Why can't you?"

Rose looked up at him in disbelief, like she didn't understand why he didn't know.

"Because I'm messed up! You don't want me. No one ever will. Don't make this mistake, Scorp. You'll regret it later."

"Why the hell would I ever regret it? Of course I want to be with you. I want you, all of you, for forever. Come on Rose, I love you. You love me too. Why _not_ do this?"

"Love isn't enough for a marriage, Scorp. It's not like we've even dated or anything! You're just asking me to marry you because of the baby. We both know it. And besides, even if you weren't, we both know how messed up I am. I can barely stand to be touched before I freak out. My parents are always spouting information on how love is supposed to heal and conquer all and everything but it just hurts people. I don't want to get hurt again, Scorp. And I don't want to hurt you."

Tears were gathering in her eyes. It made Scorpius wonder if she'd finally let go of her mask or if it was just the hormones.

"You will not hurt me," Scorpius said firmly. "You are the only person I want to spend the rest of my life with, and I will always want to spend my life with you. And I don't want to marry you because of the baby; I love you without the baby."

"I don't want to be my aunt Ginny, Scorp. Mum's always said that I'm so much like her at times but I just can't be like her this time."

Scorpius gave her a confused look. "What does she have to do with this?"

"She was pregnant with James before she married Uncle Harry. He was in love with her but they had a miserable marriage for the first year or so because she thought he was marrying her for the baby. I don't want that to be me! And I don't want to hurt you like that!"

Tears were dribbling down Rose's face now and Scorpius felt powerless to stop them.

"Rosalie Weasley, we already know how much we make each other happy, make each other feel better. You are not always going to feel like you're messed up. I'm not going to let you go. I'm going have to fight for you, but if that's what I have to do, then I'm going to. Don't you get it? I'm in love with you! I have been since I was fourteen and I didn't even know what love was! So marry me. Marry me because we will make each other happy. Marry me because I love you. Marry me for the hell of it! Why not?"

Rose smiled a bit. This was so Scorpius. When he wanted something that he didn't immediately get, he would blabber on about just how much he wanted it and why he wanted it and all of the reasons he could possibly think of that he should have it.

"I love you, too," Rose mumbled, finally admitting it, and Scorpius's face lit up like fireworks.

"I thought you didn't believe in love."

"I guess I changed my mind."

Rose smiled and Scorpius grinned back at her.

He moved closer and kissed her. "Marry me."

Rose smiled against his lips. "Okay."


	24. Chapter 24

Al couldn't understand the differences in Rose. He didn't want to understand them, though. He was just glad that they were there.

She was smiling. Legitimately, genuinely smiling. She was happy.

She also wasn't shying away from Scorpius.

So all of that meant that Rose had listened to him. She'd kept her promise. Rose was accepting all of it. And she was certainly returning to her old self.

Al put down his quill and reviewed his Charms N.E.W.T. He wasn't sure how any of it would turn out since he'd been thinking of the changes in Rose the entire time and not actually paying attention to what he was writing. But it seemed okay.

As okay as Rose had seemed when Al had spied Scorpius give her a kiss the other day. Al grinned to himself. Finally. Maybe they'd actually stick together and be a real couple for the kid on the way. And because they loved each other anyways.

Al stood up and handed in his test, breathing a huge sigh of relief. Charms was over. He grabbed his bag from his seat and walked down the aisle and out of the Great Hall. On his way out he saw Rose get up to hand her test in as well. Al crossed his fingers for her; all she had for her career in anything right now was to do well in her N.E.W.T.S. Uncle Bill would still probably hire her to be a Curse Breaker; she'd taken all the classes – Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Ancient Runes, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, History of Magic – and some that the career didn't require, like Potions. She'd achieved the highest scores possible for all of the tests during the year, was Head Girl, and all of her teachers loved her, so she better be able to get this job. With the baby, she wasn't going to be able to go through life without prejudice and persecution, the most he could hope was that she got to do something that made her happy where she wasn't hurt because of one mistake.

"Al, wait," Rose hissed, catching up to him out in the corridor.

"Hey, Rosie, how'd it go?"

"Pretty good," she shrugged. "Definitely wasn't nearly as bad as Arithmancy. That was possibly disastrous."

"I don't even know what Arithmancy is about."

"I don't either, really," Rose chuckled.

"You talked to Uncle Bill yet?"

She shook her head. "Nah, I handed in my pre-application thing with all my O.W.L.S. grades and my sixth year grades but I haven't done the real application with the N.E.W.T. grades yet so I'm going to do that once I get the grades. Did you sign for Puddlemere yet?"

Albus nodded proudly. "At the last Quidditch game the manager is coming to do the final papers and stuff."

"Aw, look at Albie all grown up and getting into a career," Rose crooned.

Al guffawed. "Oh yeah, a career in Quidditch. I'm sure my mama is sooo proud."

Rose laughed. "Of course she is. She was the star chaser for the Holyhead Harpies for how many years?"

"Way too many to acknowledge," Al said. _You were going to be like her_, he thought. Rose was supposed to carry on the Quidditch legacy, not him. Rose was more like his mum, not he. It wasn't right that she didn't get to fulfill her dreams and everyone else got to do what they wanted and hopefully fulfill theirs.

"I'm sorry, Rose," Albus said, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them. "I'm sorry about everything that's happened. I wish I could find a way to make it all better."

Rose smiled ruefully. "Scorpius said the same thing the other day."

"He's a smart guy; I would've expected him to. We love you, you know."

"You have to love me, Al. I'm your cousin. You don't have to like me but you have to love me. It's a Weasley thing. I think it's automatically programmed in once you're conceived," Rose joked.

"Well then, I like you and love you. How's that?"

"Makes me feel _so_ much better," Rose chuckled.

"I don't think I need to be doing that anymore, really. Seems like Scorpius is doing a pretty fine job all on his own," Al said.

Rose's jaw dropped, obviously stunned. But her eyes still twinkled with mischief, like the old Rose Al missed so much.

"What'd you say?" she asked, taunting.

"I was just commenting on how much closer you two have grown as of late." Al shrugged but he desperately hoped he was right. "Maybe you're keeping your promise?"

"Promise?" her eyes were wide and innocent, but Al knew better.

"Mhmm, that one where you promised me you'd let Scorpius in and solve your differences, accept the baby, and to go back to your old self?"

"Baby?" a voice cried behind them.

Rose and Al stopped in their tracks, frozen. Slowly, they turned around to face Greta Hillingsworth, the biggest gossip in their grade, her face alight with the glee of having discovered a new secret to spread.

"There were tons of rumors, all spread by York but no one believe him! And it's true, isn't it?" Greta's eyes darted back and forth between Rose and Al. "Oh gosh it is! Who's the father? It's Malfoy, isn't it?" Greta squealed and giggled and darted off before neither Rose nor Al could say anything.

"Oh, bugger," Rose said.

"My sentiments exactly," Al groaned.

Draco Malfoy was furious. He was going to pretend he wasn't, for the sake of his wife, but he certainly was.

He passed back and forth across the floor in his study, wearing the already-thin carpet even thinner.

His son had knocked someone up. And not just anyone, he'd knocked up a Weasley. A Weasley that he _loved_ for goodness's sake!

Draco had changed a lot since the war. He had disbanded all of those horrid beliefs his father had impressed upon him and hadn't bothered to tell Scorpius about any of them other than to pretend to believe them when they visited his father, Lucius.

Narcissa didn't care too much about Lucius anymore and was content to spoil away her days with her friends and planning charity balls and galas. She avoided her husband like the Bubonic plague and he did likewise to her as well. It wasn't that they didn't love each other, it was that they hadn't talked in six years, since Scorpius was sorted into Gryffindor. Narcissa hadn't cared, Lucius had been enraged.

But they would both be enraged when they found out about Scorpius's latest blunder, as they would view it.

Heck, Draco was almost happy about the fact that he'd knocked up Rose, he'd always liked her. It was just the fact that she was a Weasley and this development would be followed through the media because it was a bridging between two families that had been in a feud for as long as anyone could remember.

Draco wouldn't dare compare them to Romeo and Juliet (too much death and mushy emotions) but the Daily Prophet and Witches Weekly certainly would. And since they had a baby on the way there was going to be an almost definite uproar.

Draco seriously hoped that Scorpius had proposed. It would be good for both of them. When Rose Weasley and Albus Potter visited over the holidays, he'd seen the way his son looked at Rose. It was like she was the most precious thing on the Earth. Every time she laughed, his face lit up along with hers. It wasn't completely obvious to someone who didn't know Scorpius. But it was obvious to Draco and Astoria. Albus Potter had confirmed their beliefs on the matter with his own.

All that was left to do for the couple was to actually get married, hopefully before the baby came.

Draco leaned on the back of the arm chair at his desk.

"Astoria!" he called.

Astoria Malfoy bustled into the room, holding a masterfully carved wooden box of Greengrass family heirlooms that she'd been left by her mother when she passed.

"You rang?" she asked, looking fairly amused.

Draco sighed. Astoria seated herself in the chair her husband was leaning on, putting the box on his desk. "Thinking about Scorpius?"

Draco nodded. "You know he loves Rose."

"Of course, it's fairly obvious. Why?" she suddenly looked suspicious.

"What if Rose doesn't love him back?"

Astoria paused, her mouth open. She looked downtrodden with his words. "I once heard her say to Scorpius that she didn't believe in love," she confessed with a small voice.

Draco groaned and ran his hand through his sleekly combed hair, a frown etching itself onto his face when his wedding ring got caught in a knot. He pulled his hand free and reminded himself not to do that because he always got his hand stuck.

"Do you think she has changed her mind?"

Astoria shrugged lightly, gracefully. Everything she did was graceful, she'd been raised to be a society wife, it was mandatory and one of the few things expected of her. But she had a personality beneath the exterior and that was what had captured Draco's love for her. "I hope so, dear, but she sounded rather resolute."

"I sent Scorpius my aunt Andromeda's engagement ring," Draco admitted, "the one Ted Tonks proposed to her with. I was hoping he'd propose to Rose."

"I hope so as well," Astoria said adamant. "They're having a baby and they aren't even a couple! They had better get married. It's the right thing to do."

Draco chuckled at his wife's naivety. "The right thing to do because society dictates it may not be the right thing to do for them personally. We know Rose. We know how stubborn she is. And God, imagine having the Weasel and Bookworm Granger for in-laws," Draco shuddered good naturedly. He didn't mind the 'Golden Trio' as it was put nowadays. They'd saved him too many times to count, but though he respected them he didn't exactly love them.

"Of course it is!" Astoria argued. "They love each other, why wouldn't they get married?"

"This isn't a Jane Austen novel, Astoria, though I know how fond you are of them. Our son isn't Mr. Darcy and Rose isn't Lizzy. Though," Draco acknowledged, "Rose does fit the character quite a bit."

Astoria shrugged. "Scorpius will do what he wants to do and what he believes is right." She paused for a moment again, then her mouth turned upwards in a happy smile. "You really sent him Andromeda's ring? Draco that's a gorgeous ring! And, it's probably the only ring that has been used to propose with love. Andromeda would be so happy to know that their legacy was being passed on!"

Draco grinned. "Did you just swoon?"

Astoria giggled and swatted at her husband. "I just might've."

Draco leaned down and kissed Astoria. "Hopefully Rose swoons for Scorpius."

Astoria let out a bark of a laugh that surprised Draco. "I doubt that girl swoons for anything or anyone."

"I got a letter from Al," Ginny grinned at Harry and waved the piece of paper in his face.

Harry stole away the letter from her and read it quickly. "It's to both of us," he stuck his tongue out at her.

"Did you read what it says?"

"Past the address? Not really, no."

"It says that Rose is getting better, almost back to her old self." Ginny tried to contain her happiness but didn't do too well.

"Seriously?" Harry felt as happy as his wife looked. He'd always had a special spot for his best friends' kids. Mostly because he was the godfather and Ginny the godmother, but still.

"Mhmm," Ginny nodded. "I bet she fixed everything with Scorpius, too."

"I wonder if they'll ever get together. I doubt Scorpius would want to face your mum's wrath if they didn't."

Ginny made a face. "No one wants to face her wrath."

"Hey, don't look like that," Harry pulled her into his arms. "I had always wanted to marry you, James or no James."

Ginny chuckled. "Don't let James hear you say that."

"Pfft, he doesn't live here anymore, he's not going to hear us."

Ginny shot him a sly smile. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," a new voice cut in and the couple turned to the doorway to see Ron walk into their kitchen, "that…yeah, I dunno where I was going with that," he finished with a chuckle.

"Hey, Ron," Harry and Ginny greeted him.

"Look, Ron, I've got a letter from Al. You'll be happy to see what it says," Ginny said, grabbing the letter from Harry and handing it to Ron.

Ron's eyes flickered across the piece of parchment and eagerly drank in his nephew's words about his daughter. A lazy smile found its way to Ron's face. "That's great! Seems like she patched things up with Scorpius, too."

Ginny nodded. "Do you think she'll marry him? For the sake of Mum, of course," she added.

"If she does I don't think I'll mind too much. He's a good bloke."

Ginny and Harry stared at Ron in shock. "Really?" Harry managed to say.

Ron shrugged. "Come on, I've seen that kid glance at my daughter in a way that makes it so obvious he loves her. I expected it to happen one day."

"Your decision hasn't been affected by the spectacular application that Scorpius submitted to the Auror department?" Harry questioned, grinning.

Ron shrugged. "The fact that I know he'd be able to defend her from anything bad happening again may just help."

"I knew you always liked him," Ginny gloated.

**Thank you guys so much for all your reviews and for following the story for so long!**


	25. Chapter 25

Rose knew the feeling of all eyes in the room being on her. As the daughter of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, it was practically engraved in stone that she'd be known just for being born.

All eyes had been on her in first year as she walked up the few steps to be sorted and then joined Gryffindor table.

All eyes had been on her when she walked out onto the Quidditch pitch for her first game as Chaser in her second year.

All eyes had been on her when she had walked into the Great Hall with her face turned neon green with orange spots when she and Scorpius had gotten into a duel in fourth year and hadn't told each other about what they'd done. He'd walked in with bats flying out his nose, which he'd noticed, and with hands the size of walruses, which he hadn't noticed. (She absolutely loved Aunt Ginny for teaching her the Bat-Bogey Hex).

All eyes had been on her many other times as well.

But it had never felt like this.

These whispers were hurtful and cruel. _"She's up the duff." "I heard she isn't even sure if it's Malfoy's or not." "She's slept around with so many people I doubt she woke up in her bed once this year."_

The nicer whispers were more along the lines of: _"She doesn't _look_ pregnant." "So that's why she quit the Quidditch team. And she was definitely going on to the Harpies, too!" "No wonder she hasn't been to any parties since December." "Gosh, I bet her family's going nuts."_

Rose kept her head down and shuffled to the Gryffindor table and settled in between Lily and Albus.

"Don't listen to anything they're saying," Lily said, patting Rose's back. "Greta is a stupid, gossiping cow. Don't think on it."

"Thanks," Rose mumbled.

Al looked around and was met by an entire roomful of stares. "They're all staring at you. Where's Scorpius?"

Rose shrugged. "I haven't seen him all day. I finally got hungry and couldn't hide out in the tower anymore. He could still be there. Did you check the Room of Requirement?"

"I haven't really been looking for him," Al admitted. "Although if I were him, I'd want to be hiding out too."

Rose looked up at him with grueling eyes.

"Don't listen to him," Lily said, rolling her eyes. "He's a guy so he's going to sympathize with the guy. He's being stupid."

"Na-uh," Albus said, stuffing a whole chicken leg into his mouth at once.

"I swear," Rose giggled a little bit, watching her cousin, "he's my brother, not cousin, with those eating habits. He definitely got that from my dad."

"That's the spirit," Lily said. "Just look on the bright side, a little bit."

"Oh yeesh, Lils," Al grumbled. "Stop with being Miss Sunshine."

"Hey guys," Hugo sat down across from his sister. "Where's Scorpius?" he asked, noticing the empty space. Scorpius always sat with them at meals. It was like the Weasley-Potter (and Lupin while Teddy was there) family plus Scorpius section.

"We don't know," Al said.

"Oh," Hugo shrugged and pulled half of the food on the Gryffindor table onto his plate.

Rose privately thought that everyone with any Weasley gene got the gene that made their stomachs into bottomless pits.

"I'm going to go find him," Rose stood up and left the Great Hall, trying to ignore all of the eyes boring into the back of her head.

* * *

Scorpius was in the Room of Requirement, just as Rose had predicted. It sometimes felt strange to her how well they knew each other and each other's thoughts.

He didn't look up when she entered but said, "Hi, Rose."

Rose sat down on the couch with him and tucked her legs under her. She turned to face him.

"Hey."

Scorpius nodded.

"It's not the end of the world, Scorp," Rose tried to convince him. She knew that spewing things she didn't really believe wasn't going to help her, but it might help him. "Everyone was going to find out eventually."

Scorpius sighed. "I hate being proved wrong," he sounded extremely frustrated. "I said I was different from my family. That I was nothing like my grandfather or what my dad used to be like. That I wasn't _evil._ I made the Quidditch team, I became Head Boy. I got good grades. Sure, I played pranks and talked back to the teachers, but only when they deserved it. I tried so hard to prove everyone wrong. That I'm _Scorpius_ Malfoy. Not Scorpius _Malfoy_. But, no. I didn't."

"What are you talking about?" Rose asked, alarmed.

He looked up at her. "Rose, I got you pregnant. I'm a jerk. Just another Malfoy."

"Stop. Just stop. It was an accident. We both had a part in it, so stop saying that you did it. Come on, we just got to move on and deal with it. It's not going to be all that bad, right?"

"I guess."

"Think about a little baby, huh? Singing it to sleep, rocking it in your arms. You make it laugh. Think about all the good things that will come of this."

Scorpius chuckled. "How did you go from hating all of this to loving it?"

Rose shrugged. "Maybe I'm just trying to look on the bright side. Lily does often have good advice when she chooses too. Or maybe we just never listen."

"I think we just never listen." Scorpius grabbed Rose's hand and intertwined their fingers. "You really want to do this? Get married?"

Rose blushed. She couldn't help it. The idea of marrying Scorpius still sounded like a little schoolgirl fantasy that she had made sure she never had. "Yeah. I already said yes, didn't I?"

"I'm just making sure. You have a tendency to make rash decisions and then regret them later. I figured I'd ask before you changed your mind," Scorpius grinned crookedly, which caused Rose to smile.

"I think it's genetic," she said.

Scorpius snorted. "I bet." He got serious a second later. "Did you tell your parents, yet?"

Rose shook his head. "You?"

"I sent the letter off just before I came in here. I used all the secret passages I could think of to avoid all the stares and whispers."

"I walked into the Great Hall today," Rose said. "It was worse than the time I accidentally stupefied Professor Sinistra. At least the professors knew it was an accident, but everyone else still didn't."

"Yeah, but weren't you aiming for the Slytherin Quidditch captain?"

Rose laughed. "It's not my fault she stepped in the way at that specific second to check his astronomy chart! And what was he doing in a third year astronomy class anyways? It's not my fault he's really stupid."

"Come on," Scorpius said, "let's write that letter to your parents. Let them know they're about to get a son-in-law, huh?"

Rose giggled. "Geez, sounds a little pompous. I swear my uncle Percy just said that sentence. Except he wouldn't be caught dead using that kind of grammar."

"I've met your uncle Percy. I don't think I've ever heard that much about Ministry regulations in one conversation, ever."

"That would be my uncle Percy," Rose agreed.

"Let's go write the letter, Rose," Scorpius pulled Rose up off the couch.

"What if they don't like what it says?" Rose asked in a small voice. Scorpius pushed a lock of hair away from Rose's face.

"Well, your nana will," he said good-naturedly.

Rose chuckled. "Alright. Here we go."

* * *

"Draco, we got a letter from Scorpius," Astoria walked into her husband's study waving about an envelope.

Draco turned his chair around to face his wife. She handed him the letter. "Did you already read it?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I thought we could read it together."

Draco nodded and opened the envelope.

_"Dear Mum and Dad_," he began, reading aloud, "_Well, Dad, you sent me Great-Aunt Andromeda's ring and I guess you could say I made good use of it."_

Draco stopped and looked up at his wife. Her face was an uncontained expression of untamable glee and excitement.

"They're getting married!" Astoria cried, clapping her hands together. "They're getting married! Rose is going to be in the family! We're going to have a grandchild!"

Draco's face broke into a grin. "Wait, wait, we don't know yet. Let's finish the letter."

_"She said yes."_ Draco read.

"That's all?" Astoria said.

Draco nodded. "That's all."

"He's getting married! _Our son, Scorpius,_ is getting married!" Astoria was jumping up and down.

"Yes, Astoria, I do know that our son's name is Scorpius," Draco said, watching his wife go crazy, obviously lost in the delirious dreams of her only son's wedding.

"Oh, Draco, everything's going so perfectly!" Astoria practically giggled. She leaned down and kissed Draco lightly.

Draco chuckled. He wasn't going to interrupt his wife's happy delusions. At least she _was_ happy about all of this. Things were turning out much better than they had any right to.

* * *

"Hermione, we got a letter from Rose," Ron walked into the living room waving an opened envelope around and dropping it into his wife's lap.

"Yes, I know. I already read it," Hermione said, not looking up from her book.

"You already read it?" Ron's face was turning slightly purple, his ears dangerously red. He wasn't mad at his wife. He was mad at what the letter said.

"Mhmm," Hermione remarked absentmindedly, turning a page in her book.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, almost whining, making his wife put down her book and sigh exasperatedly.

"Ron, you knew it was coming."

"So? I thought she'd be strong enough to say no!"

"Maybe she was being strong by saying yes. She's loved that boy for years, even if she has refused to admit it. You've seen them together. You've seen the way they've looked at each other. You know that this will be good for them. Admit it, already, Ron! Harry just told me the other day that you said you wouldn't mind having Scorpius in the family."

"Well-ah-p-but," Ron spluttered.

Hermione leaned back in her chair with a very satisfied look on her face. It was reminiscent of an Emily Gilmore 'so there' look.

Ron groaned and sank into the chair next to Hermione's. "She's my little girl."

"I know," Hermione patted Ron's knee.

"She's my little girl. I don't want to have to give her away, watch her walk down the aisle. I don't want to lose her," Ron confessed.

"You're not going to," Hermione consoled him. "She's always going to be your little girl, no matter what. She said that, remember? When I finally told you it was Scorpius's baby and you said that you didn't want your little girl leaving you. Don't you remember what she said?"

"'I'll always be your little girl, Dad,'" Ron quoted, looking slightly more downtrodden.

"And she always will, Ron," Hermione said, patting his arm.

"She's just grown up so much this year," Ron said. "With everything that's happened this year I feel like I don't even know her sometimes."

Hermione scoffed. "Ron, we know her best of all. We knew something was going on, we just didn't know what. We'll always know her best of all. It's just that '_we'_ now includes Scorpius, as well."

Ron rolled his eyes. "I don't want it to include Scorpius."

Hermione chuckled a bit. "Ron, you always knew it was coming one day. And you were pretty positive it was going to be Scorpius anyways."

"Hermione," Ron whined and grabbed his wife's hands. "We're being _replaced_. Replaced!"

"Ron, no one is ever going to replace you as her father. She loves you. And she knows how much you love her. Nothing is going to change that," Hermione said.

"I know," Ron sighed.

"And guess what you get to do?" Hermione said mischievously.

"What?" Ron looked almost wary of the answer.

"Walk your daughter down the aisle. Spoil your grandchild rotten."

Ron started to smile. "Can we feed the kid lots of prunes right before Rose or Scorpius takes him, or her," Ron added at Hermione's look, "home so they have to clean up the mess?"

Hermione laughed. "Sure. That'll be our payback, huh?"

Ron nodded, grinning. "Alright. This will be good." He still sounded like he was trying to convince himself, but he was smiling, so Hermione knew it would go well.

"This will be good," Hermione repeated. "Don't worry. Everything will turn out okay."

Ron nodded. "Okay."


	26. Chapter 26

It was graduation day. Rose looked around at the sea of graduation caps and robes. Every single one of the people in her class was holding a diploma in their hands.

The speeches had already been given – she had done pretty well, if she thought so herself. Scorpius, too. Professor McGonagall was now speaking, as mothers wiped their tears away and fathers looked on proudly, their chests puffed out.

"And I pronounce you, this years' graduating class of 2025!" McGonagall said.

Rose watched as, in a flurry, the class stood up and tossed their caps in the air, cheering and crying out.

Couples embraced, parents clapped, siblings looked bored but proud. And next to Rose, Scorpius Malfoy pulled her into a hug and a quick kiss.

"We made it!" he cried, hugging her again.

Rose couldn't help it. She surrendered to the excitement, the cheer, the realization that she could go anywhere, do anything, now. She could see the world, work, travel, do whatever she felt like.

"We did it!" Rose cheered back.

Slowly they made their way over to their families. Rose was swept up in a crushing hug by her mum.

"Mum, can't breathe," she choked out.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Hermione stepped back, wiping her tears away. "I'm just so proud of you!"

Rose grinned sheepishly.

Ron pulled his daughter in for a hug of his own. "Congrats, kid," he smiled.

"Thanks, Dad," Rose turned away to hide her blushing face. There wasn't a way to describe how much this day meant to her at that moment. She hadn't thought she'd get there after she'd discovered she was pregnant. She'd thought she was going to drop out, run away, never see any of her family or friends again, most likely.

But she hadn't. She'd worked hard, she'd overcome challenges. And she'd graduated. Rose felt like she was going to burst with pride and happiness and elation in a few moments if she didn't calm down a bit.

Albus came over and hugged his best friend. "You made it, Rosie," he said, grinning. He had the same grin as his dad, a crooked one that looked a bit sheepish most of the time but when he was really happy, it seemed to outshine the sun. Or so Ginny said. At that moment, Rose believed her.

They were all jumping around, screaming, shouting, crying, hugging, laughing. It felt like this happiness could never go away. Rose couldn't wipe her silly grin off her face, and she never wanted to. She wished she could spend the rest of her life in a state like this. She didn't have any good-byes to say, because all the people she cared about were always going to be in her life. And she wouldn't have had it any other way, she thought as she watched Scorpius crushed in a hug by her mum.

* * *

"I am going to kill you," Rose ground out through her clenched teeth. Scorpius felt like his fingers were broken in three different places, at least, as Rose's hand held his in a vice-like grip.

Scoripus just nodded, not wanted to make her any more mad.

It was June 7th. And it was two thirty in the morning.

Albus, Rose, and Scorpius had been hanging out in their old tree house in the Potters' backyard. They'd decided to spend the night there as a last sort of reunion before Albus started Quidditch training for Puddlemere United the next week and Scorpius started his Auror training.

They'd been laughing, reveling in memories, sharing their plans for the future, when Rose's face had gone white and pained, and water had seeped through her shorts.

Scorpius had rushed her to St. Mungo's while Al told the rest of the family what was going on.

Now, Scorpius was holding his fiancée's hand, with Hermione holding her other hand, as she cussed and swore and spat at the healer trying to help deliver the baby.

Two hours later, (was it supposed to take that long? Scorpius couldn't help but wonder if going through that much pain for such a long time was really necessary) at 4:36 a.m., Scorpius and Rose had a daughter.

So much could change in a moment, Scorpius realized, as he held his baby girl. And as he looked down on her little blonde-hair tussled head, he realized, too, that he would do anything for the girl he was holding in his arms, and the one lying in the bed looking at the two of them with uncontained happiness radiating from her face. It was as if gravity were shifting, focusing on the baby in his arms. He'd do everything and anything for her, he realized. And as he whispered down, "Hi there, I'm your Dad," he knew he wouldn't have it any other way, ever again.

* * *

Rose rolled over in bed, waking up to the sound of her daughter's crying. Grumbling, she rose from her warm, comfy bed and strolled over to the haphazard crib, which was actually just an empty dresser drawer from Rose's bureau a few steps away that had been padded with lots of blankets. She hadn't been able to buy a crib or really anything, yet.

Rose picked up her daughter and rocked her gently back to sleep. The little girl grabbed onto Rose's shirt with tiny hands and Rose couldn't help but feel her heart soar as it hit her once again that she was holding _her_ _daughter_. She had a daughter.

A little girl with tons of blonde hair and a pink face, both inherited from Scorpius as a baby as Astoria had told Rose while Scorpius looked on, mortified, though the bright blue eyes were Rose's, and her father's.

Hermione walked in just as Rose was laying the baby back into the 'crib' and about to go back to bed. "Hey, honey," she smiled sleepily and sat down on the edge of Rose's bed.

"Oh, sorry, Mum, did she wake you?" Rose asked, crawling under the comforters to revel in the warmth.

Hermione chuckled. "Don't worry, it's practically ingrained in every mother's DNA to wake up when she hears a baby crying. I don't think it ever goes away."

"Sorry," Rose said anyways, "we'll be moving out in a few days. Scorpius said he found a dingy little place in a safe neighborhood," Rose laughed quietly. "It's all we can afford and he used the word 'place' lightly, he says, but it's all we can get right now."

Hermione nodded. "I wanted to talk to you about that. I don't feel good with you living on your own with a newborn baby and by the sound of it, I'm not going to like you living in that apartment, either."

Rose shrugged. "What can I do? Al offered for us to share with him, but I'd feel bad. Of course, he would probably feel a teensy bit better that he gets to see his goddaughter everyday," Rose smiled and snuck a look over at the baby.

"Can't you stay here for a few more months? At least until you go to work for your uncle Bill?"

"Mum, we already talked about this. I can't do that, I'd feel way too guilty. And you and Dad'll be at work everyday so it's not like you'll really see much of me anyways."

"But what happens when you go to work and Scorpius is at work and there's no one to take care of her?" Hermione pleaded. "If you were here I could look after her."

"But you'd be at work too!" Rose argued. "Mom, I feel like I'm here on charity. Even if I can barely afford to live on my own, I feel like I need to."

"You are not here on charity! You are always welcome here, no matter what. It's your _home_."

"It's not exactly Scorpius's home, though."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Hermione asked confusedly, though she knew exactly what it had to do with it. Hermione had had her right hand squeezed by Rose's left throughout the birth of her granddaughter and still could feel the ring on Rose's hand pressing into her's. Hermione had seen it before. It was a small gold band with a single ruby. She'd seen it on Andromeda's fingers, nestled next to her wedding ring, both of which she had never taken off. She'd seen Andromeda look at that ring with such love and adorance, it left Hermione with no doubt how much Andromeda had loved her late husband, Ted Tonks.

Hermione's brain had always worked at incredibly fast speeds and she understood immediately that Scorpius had proposed to her daughter. She knew that Rose was marrying Scorpius, and by the way Rose had looked at Scorpius when he'd held their daughter for the first time, she knew that Rose loved him and was incredibly happy. Just the fact that Scorpius was in the delivery room at all proved just how much Rose cared about him. Hermione knew how incredibly happy Rose had become, and had an inkling of how much that had to do with Scorpius.

"Erm, well, he, uh," Rose sighed, putting her face in her hands. She looked up after a second and looked her mother right in the eyes. "He asked me to marry him. I said yes," Rose said the first part resolutely, but offered the second sentence up. Hermione bit back a smile and instead made her eyes incredibly wide.

Rose reached behind her to the little end table and picked the ring up off it, showing it to her mum.

Hermione took the ring and whispered, "Andromeda's."

It was Rose's turn for her eyes to widen. "Teddy's grandmum?"

Hermione nodded. "She'd look at it and she'd never fail to smile." Hermione looked back up at her daughter, whose eyes looked like they were going to explode with happiness; Hermione thought her own eyes might have reflected her daughter's. "You could tell just how much she loved Ted while she wore it." Hermione sighed and handed it back to her daughter, pulling her in for a hug. "I'm so happy for you, darling."

"Really?"

Hermione nodded. "You and Scorpius were made to be together. You fit together like two puzzle pieces. It's not a Romeo – Juliet fit together because they barely knew each other and died in the end," Rose laughed as she heard her mum voice exactly the words that showed both of their contempt for that particular Shakespeare play, "but more of a Marius and Eponine match if Marius had realized how much he loved Eponine."

Rose chuckled. "Thanks, Mum."

"Have you told anyone else, yet?"

Rose pulled out of the hug, wiping her eyes. "Nope." She grinned. "I wonder how Dad's going to take it."

Hermione smiled slyly. "I have a feeling he's going to be a lot happier than he'll ever let you think he is about it."

Rose's daughter let out of mixture of a cry and a gurgle in her sleep and Rose rushed over to look. Hermione smiled as she watched her daughter take care of her own daughter. She felt love for Rose bubble up inside her as Rose smoothed the baby's hair and pressed a kiss to it's forehead. There was no way for Hermione to have prepared her daughter to be a mother, but by watching Rose hold and cherish her baby, Hermione hoped that she had been the example from which Rose had learned. If she had been, then Hermione felt she'd been a very good mother to her children.

Rose glanced over at her mother and saw the radiation of happiness of her face. Blushing, Rose looked back at her own daughter. She hoped that she'd be as good of a mother as Hermione.

"Scorpius, I've been thinking," Rose said, "and I don't think we should move to that flat you found."

Scorpius looked confused and waited for Rose to explain.

"We can't afford to," Rose stated plainly. "I know it's the cheapest you've found but it's still not cheap enough. We need to actually get a few paychecks before we do anything. I've got a ton saved up from babysitting and from waitress-ing at the café in my neighborhood during summers, but it's not enough to rent, furnish, feed, live, etc."

Scorpius knew she was right, but he wanted desperately to have a place for the three of them. He didn't want to have to come over to Rose's parents' house everyday to see his daughter.

Today was an exception. Scorpius had come over, albeit only to help Rose pack lunch in a cooler, one of the thousands of muggle things in Rose's house, as Rose packed the diaper bag, and the three of them had trooped out to the park nearby.

The baby was sleeping in the stroller that was about eighteen years old and Rose had excavated it from the garage that morning.

"I get it," Scorpius said, though his expression told Rose just how disappointed he was.

"I'm sorry, Scorp," Rose said, leaning over and kissing him quickly. "But we don't have to money."

"Actually," Scorpius said and Rose groaned, thinking he was going to say they could ask their parents for money, even though she knew all too well how they were both way too proud for that, "I'll have quite a bit of money pretty soon. I get my inheritance either when I'm twenty-five or I get married. Since there was already the Malfoy fortune and then my dad built up on it with his business, there's a lot to go around."

There was so much logic in his statement that Rose didn't know how she could say how she felt. It felt to her as though if she actually moved out of the house she'd lived in for so long, then she'd be saying good-bye to the last of her childhood. She'd say good by to her small room with it's twin bed and plush comforter, then that was it. She wasn't a kid, wasn't a teenager. She was just an adult, a mother. And she felt like so much of her identity would be stripped away if she did that.

But Scorpius would just be incredibly confused if she said that. Rose had always expressed just how much she wanted to get away, from everything. She'd always said how the second she graduated, she was gone. 'Gone' had changed from traveling, to just going to one place, to jobs, to the traditional around-the-world trip. But it had always stayed as 'gone'. And now that the time had come that she could do this, she didn't want to. She just felt a pull towards her home, her family, and she didn't think she could bear to leave it.

"What if you and her move into Malfoy Manor?" Scorpius asked. "My mum's been prodding me forever to get you to do it, anyways. Well, forever being the last few weeks," he amended.

Rose shook her head. "How about you move in with me and my family?" she asked softly.

Rose saw Scorpius gulp and swallow audibly.

"Your dad would be alright with that?" he asked nervously.

Rose shrugged. "My mum suggested it a few days ago. She said it would just be for the time being, until we could find our own place and 'afford one that is suitable to your needs, appropriately clean, and completely safe'," Rose quoted.

Scorpius nodded slowly. "I guess that might be alright. But I have a feeling your dad and Hugo are going to attempt to kill me everyday."

Rose giggled and slid her hands up Scorpius's chest, smiling slyly. "I'll protect you," she whispered and kissed him.

Scorpius kissed her back quickly. "Somehow, I have a feeling they'll find a way."

Rose glanced over at their sleeping daughter. "I thought of a name," she said, looking back at Scorpius, who looked pretty intrigued. "It doesn't mean we have to name her it, I was just thinking."

Scorpius nodded, motioning for her to continue.

"Hermia Jane," she said.

Scorpius mulled it over a bit, and grinned. "Now, would that be Hermia Jane Malfoy or Hermia Jane Weasley?" he asked teasingly.

"Really? You like it?" Rose asked, elated, locking her arms around her soon-to-be-husband's neck.

He nodded enthusiastically. "Hermia Jane Malfoy. It's a bit long, though, for such a tiny person."

Rose scoffed. "Oh, please, we're not going to use her full name."

"How about Mia, for short?"

Rose shrugged. "Sounds good to me. I couldn't come up with any good nicknames."

They sat in silence for a bit. "You know what Hermia Jane sounds like?" Scorpius finally said, "Hermione Jean."

"Good," Rose smiled. "It was supposed to. Are you okay with that?"

Scorpius grinned. "It's a perfect idea." He had no idea when anyone had accepted him as easily as Hermione had, made him feel loved, ashamed, cared for and about, like she did. When he'd become friends with Al and Rose in first year, Hermione had immediately liked him, treated him like he was her own son. Ginny had done the same, but Ginny was a bit tougher with her kids than Hermione.

Scorpius glanced over at his daughter, Hermia Jane Malfoy, sleeping peacefully in the stroller, and smiled. "She's perfect," he said to Rose, who chuckled and said, "She certainly is."

* * *

**sorry some parts are really short for how significant they are but i really just wanted to get this chapter written and have a nice little mother-daughter scene and a scorpius-rose scene in there. thank you all so much for sticking with this story! it is coming to a close soon, but i already have a few ideas for a sequel if any of you are interested in reading one. please review! (and let me know about the sequel).**

**thanks!**


	27. Chapter 27

"Are you almost ready to go, Rose?" Hermione called upstairs.

Rose wrestled with the diaper bag and with a squirming Hermia who refused to sit still in the carrier. "Almost!"

"We're all waiting on you!" Hugo shouted. Rose heard a scuffle and a muffled, "Mum!" and realized her dad had clamped a hand over her brother's mouth and he was calling for Hermione to save him. Rose rolled her eyes. What a family.

Hermia gurgle-laughed at Rose's eyes rolling and Rose leaped over to her daughter. She'd laughed!

"Mum! Dad! Hugo! Mia laughed! She laughed!" Rose called, delighted. "Her first laugh! C'mere!"

There were three pairs of feet racing up the stairs and bursting into the room. Hermia laughed again at the flushed and bright red faces of her uncle and grandparents.

"She's laughing!" Hermione said, tears springing to her eyes.

Rose picked Mia up and swung her around, making both of them laugh harder. It looked like little lights were being illuminated in Mia's eyes.

"She's already laughing and she's only a few months!" Hermione said. "She's going to be one happy little girl."

Ron took Mia and looked at the baby girl. Rose saw exactly what had happened when she'd been born without realizing it. Ron was completely entranced with her, her eyes locking onto his. Mia gurgled and smiled right at him, making Ron beam. Rose hadn't seen her dad this truly happy in a long while. Maybe everythin was worth it just to make her dad happy again.

* * *

When Rose arrived at the Burrow with her parents and Hugo, the 'party' was already in full swing.

Rose set Mia's carrier and diaper bag down in the kitchen and picked up Mia, walking over to Scorpius and Al.

"Hey, my two favorite girls!" Al cried, earning him many glares. "My favorite cousin who's the same age as me and my favorite goddaughter!" he amended, earning himself a few laughs.

Al took Mia from Rose as Rose turned and kissed Scorpius. "Hello, how was your day?" Rose took a look at the firewhiskey he was holding. "Apparently it wasn't that great."

Scorpius groaned and took a sip. "Auror training's hard," he moaned, but the smile on his face showed otherwise. "Your dad's a hard ass."

"Oh, he's just making you do it because he knows you _can_ do it," Rose smiled, taking Mia back from Al as she started grabbing for her mum.

Scorpius pouted. "Don't I get to hold my daughter?"

"She wants her mum," Rose stuck her tongue out at Scorpius.

"Now, Rose, is that any way to behave like a grown up?" Dominique floated into the circle, smiling.

"I never claimed to be grown up," Rose responded, smiling too.

"Oh, we all know that," Lucy said, joining the conversation. "You had way too much influence from your cousin James," she jerked a finger over to their cousin, where he was jumping up and around like a chimp, much to Claire's delight.

Rose, Al, and Scorpius giggled and chuckled, respectively, at the sight while Lucy and Dominique looked on with disgust, until they realized that he was doing it for Claire and not just drunk.

Dominique and Lucy rolled their eyes and walked away, talking about how Witch Weekly was displaying hideous fashion trends this year.

Lily bounded over and wrapped Rose in a hug, careful not to crush Mia. "Hello, and look at my beautiful little," Lily paused as she tried to figure out what the word was, "grand-niece? No," Lily shook her head. "Second cousin? Grand cousin? Or…I give up. How are you?"

Rose laughed. "I'm good. Mia's good. You?"

Lily shrugged. "I'm devastated. You three," she glared and pointed at Scorpius, Al, and Rose, "left me alone at Hogwarts with that nutcase over there," she pointed to Hugo, who had joined James in the chimp-dance for Claire, though Claire was over in Victoire's arms now, and fast asleep.

Al chuckled. "Sorry, Lils, I guess that's just the price you have to pay for being born at the wrong time."

Lily stuck her tongue at her brother and flounced away, joining her cousin Molly outside.

"What is with this family and not being mature?" Scorpius chuckled and put the bottle of firewhiskey – still just about full – into Al's hands so that he could take Mia. He grinned as soon as she was in his arms.

Al shrugged. "Well, you got Uncle Percy and Aunt Audrey," he said, "and Molly, Lucy, Dominique, and Roxanne. Rose and Victoire can be mature at times, just not very often. But there's Aunt Hermione, my dad sometimes, and Fleur." He looked thoughtful as he realized that that was the entire list of people in the family with over an ounce of maturity. "Okay, well, I guess it's just mostly everyone's kids who aren't," Al conceded.

"Hey, erm, Rose," Scorpius said, "I think she's hungry," he finished, looking extremely awkward as Mia continued to nuzzle his chest and began to cry when she didn't find what she was looking for.

Al made a face. "Yuck. Don't you dare do that in here, Rose."

Rose rolled her eyes and took Mia. "Chill, Al, I'll go upstairs."

On the staircase, Rose looked down at her family, sprawled inside and outside the house.

They were laughing and talking and teasing each other. There was a delicious aroma in the air, smelling of her nana's fantastic cooking.

No matter what happened, these people bonded together and rose above it. They'd stood behind her when she'd discovered she was pregnant, they'd helped her overcome her fears and the marks left behind from being raped, and they'd band together to help her, again, or any single one of them, if they were needed.

There was nothing this family couldn't do, Rose realized. Heck, they'd defeated the most evil wizard of all time together.

Rose looked down and saw Scorpius looking up at her. He grinned and mouthed the words, "I love you."

Rose beamed. Happiness radiated from her and Rose couldn't remember a time when she had been more satisfied, more content, more peaceful, in her life.

Rose looked down at Mia and grinned, her daughter smiling lazily back up at her. _Her daughter._ The earth felt like it was rotating as Rose looked down at Mia. The world somehow revolved around the little girl in Rose's arms, now.

As Rose turned around, she had this feeling inside of her. It grew and grew, exploding within her. Everything was going to be okay. Because love conquered all, no matter how cheesy it sounded, it was true. Real love, family love, the Princess Bride's true love, it beat everything else. And that was why everything was going to be okay.

Because Rose believed in love now. After all, how could she not?

* * *

**thank you all so much for staying with this story the whole way through! thanks for all your amazing reviews and thanks just for reading it at all.**

**i've started writing a sequel for all those who'd said that they'd like one. it's called: Realization's of A Malfoy. i hope you all check it out! thanks again!**

**Kaitie**


End file.
